Invoking Rapture in Hell
by Aku Blossom
Summary: The City of Townsville is a perfectly normal community. The Utonium sisters are perfectly normal little girls. When a friend of the Professor's is forced to return, suddenly the world is turned upside down...and normalcy is the last thing to expect.
1. Act I  Slaying Paradiso

**The Utonium Triplets In:**

_**Invoking Rapture in Hell**_

**By Deus Ex Procella**

**Author's Note: This story is part of a trade. I'm pulling out all the stops to make it everything she's ever wanted and everything she could possibly ask for. I'm going to warn you ahead of time...Act 2 onward, read at your own risk. Dialogue in italics is being spoken in Japanese. Bold dialogue is a memory. **

**This takes place in a universe where there are no superhuman abilities. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are the triplet daughters of Professor Utonium and Ms. Keane. Mojo Jojo is a man named Joseph Johenson who is married to Ms. Bellum and has three children, Brick, Boomer, and Butch. Mako Uka is a human incarnation of Aku who mentored Professor Utonium when he was in college.  
**

**Act I: Slaying Paradiso**

The cold midnight air swept through rural Japan, twisting leaves free from their roost and scattering the ashes from a lit cigarette through the air. An older man, a fiery haired college professor, stared blankly over the horizon, taking another distant drag of smoke. Strange, how he'd always found profound pleasure in things deemed unhealthy or destructive by his peers. Even now, after nearly thirty years sucking down cancer, he found the taste almost wonderful. Akin to biting into a greasy Western hamburger with more fat than an aspiring sumo wrestler, every drag of smoke seemed to settle his rushing heart.

"_All is not well tonight_..." He whispered, shuddering as another cool breeze blew by. Things had felt wrong for...many months now. Something had changed, somewhere; he could feel that something had gone wrong. His first thought had been perhaps the dinner his _protégé_ prepared the night before his departure had not set well with him. The feeling had continued into the night, and the night after. A month later, he could no longer hope that it had merely been undercooked pork.

After another month of uneasiness resting in his chest, Mako Uka had been forced to retire from his prestigious teaching career. Suffice to say, few shed a tear at his departure into solitude. In fact, the vast majority had been overjoyed to see him go, not the least of which were his long line of potential successors. Still, the decision was one well made. Not soon after, the growing trepidation grew worse still. These days, Uka couldn't even step through his front door until long after the sun had gone down. Even the moon shining down on him tonight made him uneasy. Somewhere, something had changed him.

"_What_?" Uka murmured, climbing from his rocking chair to take a quick glance around the corner of the house. There it was again...a dainty giggle riding on the night air. Furrowing his brow with frustration, he followed the sound to the other side of the house.

The sweeping countryside was a sight to behold, even locked in nocturnal embrace. Trees stretched out across the grassy yard, suddenly dropping off the steep hill upon which his solitary home sat. From his vantage point, overlooking the edge, Uka could observe how the sky went on forever, reaching outward into infinity. He took a deep drag from his cigarette and peered through his own smoky breath. The view was peaceful and serene, it truly made one appreciate how vast the world was. Uka had always hated the view.

"_Who's there?_" he barked, whipping around to glare through the surrounding forest. This time, he could clearly hear footsteps. Growling under his breath, taking only a moment to stomp out one cigarette to light up another, Uka prowled around the perimeter of his home. He came around the corner just in time to see the screen door click shut. Fearless, Uka strolled with a measure gait across his yard, taking slow, menacing steps as he advanced on his own home. He paused, taking another drag of smoke, before stepping inside, closing the door behind him.

The humble home was in order, as he expected. His rather expensive television was off, as he had left it. Sitting room to the right was in order, kitchen to the left was in order. Even his top of the line stereo system was gentle humming an odd assortment of trance and rave, secret addictions of the professor. Footsteps upstairs ruined the otherwise perfect serenity. Uka snorted and made his way up the stairs, one at a time.

At the top, he found the first sign of intrusion. His bedroom door, always tightly shut, stood open at the slightest of cracks. Uka approached his room, slowly opening the door and stepping into the doorway. Everything in its place, even the single window had remained tightly shut. An orange flicker lit up the darkness, quickly blocked by an exhaled cloud of smoke.

"_Show yourself_," He spoke, calmly, but with an undeniable authority. The room stayed silent as the stereo downstairs clicked to a new track. Then, tiny footsteps made their way across the floor. A small child, no older than Jimmy-san's children, stood before him, his eyes downcast. Uka took another puff of smoke and took a step toward the boy.

"_Who are you and why are you here?_" The boy bit his lip and looked up. For the first time, Mako Uka was taken aback, nearly retreating a step. The child had no eyes, only empty sockets leaking tears of blood. Suddenly, a grin split his face and glistening darkness lit up in the ghoul's empty eyes. He heard it again, that dainty, airy giggle.

Uka took a step back, gritting his teeth. The little boy took a step closer, lifting a ghastly hand, fingers torn apart by wretched razor blade claws. He began to laugh, a high pitched giggle that fell flat on the dead air hanging in the bed room. The boy opened his mouth and Uka tripped, falling to the floor. The thing, not a boy, lifted its other hand to reveal a twisted claw. Slowly, it turned its eyes on Uka, who felt something deep inside twist. Something long forgotten...tried to be known.

Smoke filled the air; Uka gasped for breath as flames jumped up from the wooden floor. His cigarette, in his panic, it had fallen to the floor. With impossible speed, the fire whipped up and began to engulf the tiny, secluded house. Uka looked back through the fire, spotting the eyeless boy with the goblin's grin. Another dainty giggle floated through the air, but this one spoke to Mako Uka in a chilling, childish tone.

"_Watashi wa kare o gozen," _The fire erupted, a panel fell from the ceiling, colliding with Uka's head. The hallway span and faded to black for just a moment, long enough for the fire to spread downstairs. Uka rubbed his head, groaning as blood ran through his fingers. He managed to get to his knees to take a good look through the flames. Unfortunately, no matter where he looked, he could only see fire and darkness. It was spreading at an impossible rate. Worse, the boy from before was nowhere to be seen. Uka groaned as another ceiling tile collided with his shoulder, nearly knocking him to the ground.

"_He's gone...I need to escape_," Uka dropped to his hands and knees, making his way through the fire, doing his best to feel his way down the stairs. He froze when a loud crack rang out beneath him. Before he could react, the stairs gave way and collapsed, dropping him into even deeper darkness. Uka wiped the blood away from his face, gasping for air. A piece of wood was wedged against his back, digging into his spine. With all of his might, he rolled over, moaning in pain. Blood streamed down his back as more fire rained down from above.

"_The door...where_?" Fumbling through the darkness, Uka reached out, trying to find the door. Something collapsed outside, if he wasn't quick, he'd be trapped in the hall closet. He fell forward when something behind him collapsed, a nail grazing his arm. Another inch and it would have...Uka reached out and banged his fist on the wall. As luck would have it, a hollow sound greeted his ears, he only needed to get the door open. His body screaming in protest, he got to his feet, trying the doorknob. He pulled his hand away, palm burnt badly. As he'd feared...the door was blocked. Nearly defeated, Uka banged his fist weakly against the door.

"_I cannot die here. I will not die here..._" Uka coughed and banged his fist against the door again. It refused to budge, and the flames were getting higher. Grunting, he took a step back and slammed his shoulder against the door. It nudged, but wouldn't give. Grinding his teeth, he gave a fierce growl and slammed his shoulder into the door again. He continued to throw himself against the door, inching it open bit by bit with each strike. Finally, there was a crack just big enough...a loud smash rang out and the entire house trembled. The house was coming down...he didn't have much time.

"_Move, Uka, move!_" He grunted, forcing his way through the crack. A blast of searing smoke hit his face, flames struck his battered frame. By sheer force of will, he managed to collapse on the floor, freed from his deadly prison. Uka gasped and made his way for the door. He could see it, towering like a black guardian...too far away. With a grunt, he climbed to his feet and grabbed the nearest object—his computer tower—and threw it against the window. With one final burst of energy, Uka flung himself outside, rolling down the hill away from the smoldering ruins of his once solitary home. Uka gasped for air, coughing and hacking. He doubled over, throwing up on the fresh cut green grass. With trembling hands, he reached into his pocket, finishing out his last cigarette. Hands still shaking, he lit it and took a long, deep drag.

"_Ugh...alive..._" he whispered. With some effort, he managed to roll over and sit back in the grass, watching his own home burn through blood streaked eyes as he held his last cigarette in bruised, blood streaked fingers, smoking it with bloodied lips.

"_Who was that child? Perhaps, he is the cause of this feeling_?" Uka mused, staring at the flames. They crackled and sent embers into the cool night breeze. The smoke blocked out the moon, at the very least removing the wretched celestial from Uka's vision.

"_Perhaps I should find someone to help me...but who can I trust_?"

* * *

Uka grumbled as the plane hit another pocket of turbulence. It had never been a completely comfortable flight, traveling to America, but he had never felt so much turbulence before. He growled, glaring across the way at the open window, or rather, the window that a teenager kept flipping open and closed. Sunlight was bad enough but strobe sunlight...Uka groaned and rubbed his still sore head. Three nights, he hadn't slept in three nights. From the hospital, to the airport, and now on the plane heading for the United States of America, Uka remained far too conscious for his own health. He pinched the bridge of his nose and swallowed. Worse than his insomnia was the unstable nausea. One moment he was fine, but at the slightest upset, he found himself dry heaving in the rest room.

"_Can you help me_?" he murmured, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Uka-san?" Uka looked up at the cheerful flight attendant. Frowning, he shook his head and waved her on. The silly girl must have thought he was speaking to her, he mused. Following the destruction of his home, and the subsequent loss of unspeakable yen invested in his various technologies—Uka had always had a strange obsession with technology, perhaps because of his tenure as James Utonium's mentor—the retired professor had wasted no time in arranging a flight and escaping his now oddly distant home country. Was it odd that his first thought had been to find his long graduated student? Perhaps, but...in truth, Uka had few close connections, and of those, the only one he truly trusted was young James Utonium.

"_Jimmy-san, you were always different_," he whispered. James had been his star-pupil, true, but he had been more than that. The two had been...friends. Yes, they had definitely been friends. The awkward little science bug and the obstinate history professor. They had been quite the pair during James' tenure at Uka's university. Uka had introduced James to his first date, James had convinced Uka to go to his first open mic night at a campus club. And...perhaps most sentimental of all, Uka had given James his first pipe.

At the time, it had seemed a rather...stupid gesture. After all, Jimmy-san was not prone to smoking. But that pipe, it had a lot of history. It had been Uka's most valued possession, no one else was more deserving of such a gift. Given comments he'd overheard while visiting James, it was apparent that his pupil had, in fact, taken up the habit.

As the flight dragged on, hitting another pocket of turbulence, Uka's quivering stomach was soothed by a thought he hadn't considered before. It had been several months since his trip to America, how could he have forgotten her? One of James' lovely daughters, the auburn-haired little girl with pretty pink eyes. Uka chuckled and pinched the bridge of his nose again, driving off an oncoming headache.

How was Sakura-chan faring? A child that bright, that enthusiastic about learning, certainly had a world of opportunities awaiting her. He felt a pang of guilt at nearly forgetting her, hadn't she sent him a letter to tell him she had finished _Moby Dick_? It had been a quite lengthy letter actually, discussing what she had taken from the book. Uka chuckled, startling the couple across the aisle. He had been...quite proud of her. It was odd, feeling such affection, but it would have been a lie to say the two hadn't bonded in a manner frighteningly similar to the way he and her father had. Two intellectuals—or at least as intellectual as a child could be—discussing classical literature and foreign languages...that first dinner had been more enjoyable than any he could remember before it.

"_Fascinating child..._" The little girl who had stumbled over a simple greeting that first night had later mailed him a letter composed entirely in Japanese. She wasn't just fascinated with learning, she was...quite good at it, he thought with another chuckle.

_"_**You don't smile a lot...I wish you would**_," _While he was staying in America, Jimmy-san had called on him to babysit Sakura-chan, who had come down with the flu. It had been an enlightening experience, to be honest. She had said those exact words to him that day. And...lo and behold, he hadn't the ability to stop himself from smiling, then, when she had said those words, and now, as he recalled them. And when he left a week later...

_"_**I'll miss you...do you promise you'll come back again?**_"_ He had, and now he was upholding that promise. Uka sighed and smiled, nodding a silent assurance to himself. Yes, this had been the best course of action. Jimmy-san could help him with his personal issues, the intruder, the fire, the strange feeling of growing detachment, and Sakura-chan, Blossom, she could help him to...smile again.

* * *

Uka collapsed in a seat near baggage claim, holding his throbbing head and praying to the gods that his bag would show up shortly. The doctor had prescribed him something, he couldn't remember what, for the pain and, like a fool, he had insisted he wouldn't need it for the flight. Now, he regretted that very, very bad decision. Like a jackhammer, his brain beat against his own skull with increasing fury. His eyes trembled with each pulse, threatening to splash out of his skull. Uka dug his fingers into his dirty red hair. He could handle pain, he could handle pain very well. But he couldn't handle looking weak or pitiful in public.

"Hey, man, you alright?" Uka growled and slowly looked up, through sparkling lights, at the American in question. He couldn't see straight, the room was spinning and everything seemed to be swimming. Still, he squared his shoulders and sat up straight, looking the man in what he presumed to be his eyes.

"I am fine, thank you," The man offered him an expression to suggest that he wasn't entirely convinced, but took his leave. Uka waited until the blob was gone, then doubled over, holding his head once again. The jackhammer had become an earthquake, beating his brain into mush. With the last vestiges of willpower, Uka looked up in time to see his bag sliding onto the carousel. A sudden superhuman strength filled him, allowing Uka to shoot through the crowd, still maintaining a poised dignity, snatch his bag, and make a b-line for the seats once again. Along the way he fumbled through his suitcase—he hadn't brought near enough; he hadn't had near enough to bring—finally snatching his pills.

The world spinning, he jerked the bottle open and downed a single yellow pill. Like a dial, the lights suddenly turned down and the world stopped shaking around him. Uka sighed and squared his shoulders again, both his dignity and his strength restored.

"_One crisis solved..._" It was unfortunate that it was but one in a slew of problems to be dealt with. His living arrangement...he had the money to get by for a while, but when could he return home? Flying on auto-pilot, weaving between teary reunions and tearier farewells, he started to wonder just where he could call home now. The feeling of distance, of intense detachment had faded the moment he stepped off the plane. Was this, perhaps, some kind of premonition? Was he meant to be here, in Townsville?

"Taxi," He called drolly, waving down a speeding yellow car. The driver slammed on his breaks, staring him down before nodding, allowing Uka to enter the car.

"Where to, bud?" Uka frowned and threw his bag next to him. Leaning forward, he laced his fingers and rested his chin on his clasped hands.

"The Hilton," The driver rolled his eyes, but peeled out for the hotel. Uka closed his eyes, getting lost in the car's momentum. In fact...in reference to his feelings of trepidation and insecurity, they seemed to be dampening with every second he spent in this city. Was it the thrill of being away from home? Perhaps the excitement of staying in a hotel...no, Mako Uka had long since outgrown such childish fancies. No, that only dragged up memories of business and obligation. His true excitement, if that was what he felt, was knowing what lay in wait. Knowing that...somewhere in the city, Jimmy-san was hard at work, making his way in the real world. Uka smiled and lowered his head. Somewhere, his Sakura-chan was exercising that powerful little mind of hers.

"So, how long you stayin in Townsville, bud?" Uka opened his eyes, glancing at the driver. He was a short, fat man with greasy hair and sweaty, disheveled clothing. He didn't look too pleasant, but his voice didn't sound too aggressive. Uka closed his eyes again.

"I have not decided. I am here to see a friend," The man grunted in response, resuming his silent, aggressive drive. Uka was quite content to block out the gentleman. Everything from his appearance to his body odor reeked. Thankfully, the trip didn't last too much longer, and soon Uka was walking into the Hilton, breathing fresh air. He made sure to hide the pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. Townsville was notoriously...family-minded when it came to smoking. He had to wonder how Jimmy-san got away with it on a regular basis.

"Thank you, enjoy your stay, sir!" Uka forced a smile and spun on his heel to get to his room. Now that he was freed from all manner of metal confinement, he had an insatiable urge to find Jimmy-san. An urge to discover who had invaded his home...an urge to discover why he was suddenly brimming with energy he hadn't felt even five minutes ago. What was it about Townsville that made him feel so...alive?

* * *

"Hello! Professor James Utonium, how may I help you?"

"Jimmy-san...I hope I am not disturbing you,"

"U-Uka-san? Is that you? Oh wow! Of course not, sir! What can I help you with? I mean...did you need something?"

"I have found myself once again on your side of the world...I am at the Hilton in Townsville,"

"What! S-Seriously? Wow, what's the occasion?"

"My house was burned to the ground; I was nearly murdered by some strange creature,"

"..."

"Jimmy-san?"

"Oh, sorry...you're...being serious? Someone tried to kill you? Who would be that stupid?"

"Your flattery is appreciated, if ill-placed, Jimmy-san,"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir, I just can't imagine anyone would try to do that to you! Are you alright?"

"I'm as well as can be expected...however, I have next to nothing, and have arrived here in hopes that, perhaps, you would be able to assist me,"

"Of course, you can stay with us. We can get the guest room ready, I know Cassandra won't mind and I'm sure, oh wow! Blossom will be so excited to see you! You know she's doing great in her classes!"

"Th...That's wonderful to hear, Jimmy-san...but you do not need to make special arrangements for me. I just ask for your assistance,"

"Yes...of course...why don't you swing by tonight then? Or maybe...are you free now?"

"I have no obligations,"

"Then come on by Townsville Community College, I'll see if I can help you with your problem?"

"That sounds...good, yes. I will meet you within the hour,"

"Alright, take care, sir, I'll see you soon,"

"Yes,"

* * *

"Uka-san! Welcome!" Uka bowed, greeting his best friend and pupil with a rare smile. The two were alone in James' modest-sized classroom. Uka took a deep breath, relishing in the scent of being in an educational facility again. Much to his chagrin, he found it as sickening as he had expected. Uka cleared his throat, pacing around the length of the room. White walls, long tables designed for experiments set up in symmetrical order around the room. Uka sighed and turned to James, crossing his arms.

"It is good to see you, Professor Utonium," James chuckled and offered the older educator a seat, but Uka politely declined. He turned to look out the window. His classroom had never had windows. It was...odd.

"You wanted to talk about something?" Never one for small talk, Uka nodded, strolling to the front of the classroom. He snatched one of James' markers and proceeded to draw a shoddy rendering of the mysterious, eyeless child who had invaded his home. As he drew, he explained the details of the encounter, starting with the sickening sense of impending change, to the ghastly, giggling voice floating on the midnight breeze. James stood back, stroking his chin and watching each pen stroke with intense concentration. When Uka at last stepped back and capped the marker, James got a good look at the full image.

"It was this child who assaulted me, resulting in my house fire...have you seen anything such as this in any mythology?" James paced in front of the board. The boy was small, eyeless, with a big, mocking goblin grin. One hand was torn open by razor blades, while the other had been torn off completely, replaced by a screwed on claw of some sort.

"Like a scorpion," James' muttered, leaning in to get a better look at the drawing. Uka nodded, folding his arms behind his back and turning away from the accursed drawing.

"Hai...he said something very peculiar just before disappearing. When I asked his name," he explained. James nodded, only mumbling a quick "What was it?" Uka closed his eyes, "Watashi wa kare o gozen," he stated. James stood up right and turned to face his teacher with a raised eyebrow.

"I am..."

"I am him," Uka finished, turning to face James. The pupil furrowed his brow and scratched the back of his head.

"But who?" Uka shook his head and approached the board, uncapping the marker.

"Perhaps, Jimmy-san, he did not mean 'I am him'," Uka wrote that interpretation on the board. He paused, then made a slight change, "Perhaps, what the child meant was this," James nodded, reading the very subtle change out loud.

"I am Him," Uka nodded and capped the marker again. James licked his lips and dug around on his bookshelf. It was no secret that, after a near death experience as a child, James Utonium had a fascination for more...fantastic history. Mythology, fairy tales, and legends were a passion of the young man. Uka could only hope he would have something about the odd little monster.

"I may have something...no, not here...hm..." James laughed and turned to face Uka with an apologetic expression, "It's going to take some time...I'll keep looking tonight but...would you like to have dinner with us? Cassandra is cooking tonight and it should be, well, and I know the girls would like to see you, I think..." Uka stared unblinking at the mocking drawing of the teasing little boy. He needed to take his mind off his assailant...surely seeing Sakura-chan again would be enough to make him,

"_Smile..._" he murmured. Uka chuckled and shook his head, offering James one of his rare, genuine smiles.

"I think that would be most wonderful," James beamed and snatched a book from the shelf, he clapped Uka on the shoulder as the two left his classroom, the door practically slamming in their wake.

* * *

"-and don't you worry! I'll have the answer by morning. I'm home!" James called as the two stepped into the Utonium Chateau. There was a chorus of girlish screams of excitement and six footfalls thundering into the hallway. Buttercup arrived first, jumping into James' waiting arms.

"Daddy! You're ho...home?" She blinked, staring up at Uka's only mildly amused red eyes. Buttercup blinked and looked at James, then back at Uka. By that time, the other two arrived on the scene, freezing with a shared gasp of amazement. Uka looked up, smiling when his eyes met Sakura-chan's. Blossom's face turned bright red and the smile on her face seemed to be growing dangerously large.

"Uka-san! You came back!" Ignoring her own father, Blossom shamelessly grabbed Uka in a fierce hug, catching him off guard. With a friendly laugh, Uka knelt down to return the heartfelt embrace his own awkward one.

"Yes...Sak, Blossom, I did say I would return, did I not?" Blossom giggled and danced childishly in place, hugging him tighter. Uka swallowed, his face starting to heat up. He quickly stood upright, coincidentally bringing Blossom up with him as Cassandra walked out into the hallway. The parents laughed while Blossom bashfully hopped down, digging her toes into the floor.

"I'm sorry, it's just really exciting to see you!" Uka adjusted his collar and nodded, coughing sheepishly.

"Yes...it is quite exciting for me as well to return to this part of the world so soon," Cassandra smiled brightly, taking Uka's coat as he stepped into the living room. Blossom, still euphoric, stayed close to him, eyes sparkling.

"What brings you back to America, Mr. Uka?" Uka lowered his head with a subtle sigh and smiled. Clearing his throat, he glanced at James, who whispered in Cassandra's ear as the two kissed. She nodded and beamed at Uka. "Well, we'll have plenty of time to discuss that later! Supper is ready, we were just waiting for you, James. I can set an extra place, if you'd like, Mr. Uka?" Uka nodded graciously, catching sight of Blossom's stare of adulation. He chuckled and shook his head, heading into the kitchen as soon as everyone else was seated. Like before, he ended up next to Blossom—though that could have been manipulation on her part, given Bubbles' less than pleased expression.

"So why are you here?" Buttercup asked bluntly as the food went around the table. Uka kept his eyes forward, ignoring the accusatory glare both of the other children were giving him, perhaps due to Blossom's obsession, or possibly his own stoic disposition. Uka sighed and closed his eyes, taking a long sip of wine the moment it was poured.

"Uka-san is a guest! You should be nice to him, Buttercup!" Blossom hissed to his left. Uka raised his eyebrows and glanced down at her. Blossom broke off her glare with Buttercup to beam cheerfully at Uka, "How have you been? Is your class going well? Did you get my letter?" Uka smiled, wincing only momentarily as the room shifted, light sparkling in front of his eyes. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he got his head back under control and smiled again.

"I have been...quite well. My class, I couldn't say, I retired just before the school year began. And yes, I received your letter. You have certainly improved your Japanese substantially," Blossom gasped, staring horror-stricken at her idol.

"You quit teaching? Why?" Uka chuckled as Cassandra shot Blossom a warning glare.

"Blossom, no yelling at the table," Blossom blushed and lowered her head.

"I'm sorry, but why did you quit?"

"I merely felt that my services were no longer necessary," He started to mention the headaches, the night terrors, the empty pit in his chest, but that was more information than a gaggle of first-graders needed to know. Bubbles smiled brightly from across the table.

"But that means you have time for all kinds of fun stuff! What do you like doing Mr. Uka?" Though he wasn't as fond of the other two sisters, Uka was grateful for a near change in topic.

"Music editing...I have a fascination with this new...trance music that has become all the rage these days. Perhaps not as prolific or enlightening as my previous career, I do find it very...what's the word...soothing," Blossom sighed in disappointment, though she perked up a bit, looking up at him hopefully.

"So you're...writing your own music?" Realizing he hadn't eaten anything yet, Uka took his first bite. Jimmy-san hadn't lied, Cassandra was a much better cook.

"Yes, that is correct," Blossom began to glow again, the adoration and idolizing glow returning to her face.

"Wow! That's so interesting! Have you finished any? Are you making a CD? Do you need help? I'm learning how to play guitar!" Again, she got a warning glance from her mother.

"Inside voice, Blossom," Blossom blushed, but kept her hopeful gaze fixed on Uka, who could only grin in return.

"I...have completed a few tracks, but perhaps we could...collaborate some day," Uka shook his head, unable to understand how such a simple gesture could inspire such excitement in the little girl. For the rest of dinner, it was like she was floating on air. Even as the six settled into the den to watch the girls' favorite television show, Blossom couldn't stop grinning every time she looked at Uka. To be honest, he was quite glad to be in her good graces again. The stricken look on her face when she heard he had retired...it had been almost painful to behold. Before long, the girls were fast asleep, whisked away by their parents to turn in for the night. Uka sighed, popping one of his pills to settle his throbbing head.

"So James says your home was...burnt down?" Uka looked up, nodding to Cassandra, who took a seat at the other end of the couch. She bit her lip, folding her hands between her knees.

"I'm very sorry to hear that..." Uka glanced up, hearing the unspoken 'but'.

"You are wondering why I chose this place to return to," Cassandra glanced at him but nodded silently. Uka nodded as well, keeping his eyes on the floor.

"I am not sure myself...it seemed the correct course of action,"

"...You know...she...really did miss you," Uka looked up, noticing a ghost of a smile on Cassandra's lips.

"Blossom?" He asked. She nodded.

"She really connected with you those two weeks you were here. I've never seen her so enamored," Uka swallowed and let his head drop back into place.

"I am...quite taken with her as well. She is an exceptional child..." Cassandra laughed softly, wiping her eyes.

"I noticed...James always said you were...such a hard case. But with her, you're not..."

"It is a very...new experience for me as well," Uka shook his head, climbing to his feet. He offered Cassandra an apologetic bow and made his way to the door, "I'm sorry to have imposed...good night,"

"Huh? Oh good night, Mr. Uka..." Cassandra watched him leave from the door, at least until he made it to the sidewalk. Uka paused, noticing that she quickly shut and locked the door. The blinds were pulled, the house looked...secured. He frowned and started on his way back to town. He was no stranger to traveling by foot, but his recent injuries did present something of a new challenge to overcome.

The city of Townsville...it was a relatively safe community. James had certainly been confident about raising three little girls. Uka had heard no bad things of the town, no more than in any other city of large size. Yet that night, things felt different. There seemed to be shades lurking in the shadows. As he passed into the city proper, he could hear car alarms going off in the distance. Not one to stick his neck out, Uka only flinched when he heard a window break. He lowered his head and pressed onward, into the city.

"_This feeling...this city..._" Uka came to a halt as a trashcan lid rolled in front of him. He heard rough laughter and peered into the alley. Five boys, of various shape and size, were making their way out. Narrowing his eyes, Uka hurried on his way. Any other day, he wouldn't have worried...he was older, but he wasn't helpless. Tonight, though, everything felt just a little more...discerning. He could still hear them approaching and picked up the pace.

Uka grit his teeth, knowing, after a few blocks, that they were following him. There had been nary a taxi in sight, and the hotel was a short ways away. Clenching his fists, he stayed on course, hoping they were too cowardly to close in on him. Quite the opposite, he could hear them gaining on him. Uka pinched the bridge of his nose, another migraine settling into place. That moment's hesitation was just enough for a lanky arm to reach out and snatch his shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where you goin' so fast, pops?" The boy in the middle taunted, shoving Uka back. His back hit the side of a building, a jewelry store if memory served. Uka peered through bleary, light strewn eyes at the boys. They had to be in high school, at the oldest. Two were tall, one dwarfed them, and the other two were shorter. On a good day? Nothing to worry about...but as his migraine worsened and their voices got more distant, he couldn't help feeling that now familiar sensation of drifting. A sense of detachment in his chest.

"...boys...don't look too good..."

"Hehehe...boss..."

"...gonna get hurt...yeah?"

"...money..." Uka shook his head, trying to pick them out of the swirling light now engulfing his vision. He could only see vague shapes, but they seemed miles away. His head was throbbing, the earthquake had returned. He stumbled, catching himself on the side of the building. He heard the boys laugh and something...something about it triggered a sensation within him. He no longer felt like he was falling. No...no he felt like he was...rising. The same clammy hand grabbed his shoulder. Uka's eyes snapped open.

* * *

Uka's eyes snapped open. He sat up gasping, searching frantically for his pills. In his haste, he managed to throw the offending alarm clock across the room. With shaking hands, he sucked down one of the strange pills the doctor had prescribed. His headaches subsided, but the fatigue hit him all at once. Collapsing into the plush mattress, he groaned and tried to recall the night before.

"_What was that?_" Uka sat up and held his head, trying to recall just what had really happened. Oddly enough, all he could remember was a vague, terrible dream. Bodies thrown across the street, sewer drains running red with blood. As he recalled the dream, he rubbed his fists. His muscles were tense, probably from the rough night. Those boys...they were part of the dream, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have made it home...not in his condition.

Uka shook his head and swung his legs over the bedside. The phone was blinking. He had a message. Moving slow, stretching, and yawning, he hit the button and stared out the window. The city seemed less cheerful somehow. Oddly enough, he felt better than he had in months, maybe even years.

"3:47 a.m. Uka-san! This is James, I'm sorry to call you so late, but I think I found something. Come by in the morning!" Uka nodded, turning to get dressed. The machine beeped and a second message began to play.

"6:15 a.m. Uka-san...are you there? It's Cassandra...listen...have you spoken to James? He's locked in his lab...oh it's probably nothing...sorry to bother you," Uka blinked in confusion, slipping on his shoes as he finished buttoning his shirt. The machine beeped a third time, and the message began with a loud crash.

"7:10 a.m. Hello? Mr. Uka? Are you th...ah!...Hello? Hello? Nothing...stay away if you know what's good for you! Now...come here girls...Daddy has a surprise for you..." The line went dead. Uka stared at the machine in shock. The clock was blinking 7:12 a.m. Uka spun and tore through the door, running as fast as his legs could carry him.

The alarm wasn't what woke him up. It was the telephone.

* * *

"Jimmy-san! Cassandra-san!" Uka pounded on the front door of the eerily still house. Was he too late? Had nothing even happened? He shook his head, pacing the front porch, running his hands through his greasy red hair. No, he knew this was for real. He could feel it burning in his chest. Something horrible had happened. Was it related to that monster? No! He didn't have time to ponder that, he needed to get inside! Looking around for any kind of makeshift battering ram, Uka growled in frustration. Cassandra had locked the house up tight, there was no way in...legally at least.

Lowering his head and saying a silent prayer, Uka grabbed the nearest thing he could find, a potted plant, and hurled it at the window. The glass shattered on contact, and the retired professor climbed inside, unsure of what to expect. For all his mental preparation, he wasn't ready for the immediate sight of blood. His heart raced, his blood heated up, and his hands trembled.

There, lying at the door...was Buttercup. The poor little girl...she was almost unrecognizable. Were it not for her thick black hair, Uka wouldn't have even been able to peg her as a human at all. Her head had been smashed, possibly with a hammer. Not just once, but repeatedly. Gray matter, blood, skull tissue, the carpet was smothered in mess. He gently rolled her over, nearly vomiting at the sight. How could this have happened? She was...she was Jimmy's favorite...he couldn't have done this to her...

"Jimmy-san! Cassandra-san! Bubbles-chan! Blossom-chan!" Uka hurried through the house, dodging overturned furniture and broken glass with eerie ease. He froze at the stairs, seeing a trail of splattered blood going all the way up to the second floor...leading straight to the girls' room. He turned, spotting the door to James' lab. It had been smashed off the hinges, and was lying in pieces on the floor. Steeling himself for the unthinkable, Uka grabbed one of James' prized golf clubs and made his way up the stairs.

"Come here...don't hide from me! Come out here and die like a bitch! Come out here and die like your mother!" Uka stopped in the doorway, staring in wide-eyed disbelief. The door was in splinters, the bed had broken in half, with what looked like a tiny body lying in the wreckage. Uka swallowed staring at the sticky trail of blood he had followed up the stairs. Who knew just when little Bubbles had finally died.

Turning, just slightly, he was met with the grisly fate of the girls' mother. Cassandra Utonium was barely more than a splattered bag of meat and blood, torn to bits and lying at the foot of the bed, elbows, knees, shoulders and face smashed to nonexistence. And there, beating apart what little remained of the closet door, was the man who was once Mako Uka's best friend, his star pupil...his sole confidant. Smeared with the blood of his precious family, James Utonium was barely a man anymore. His face bright red, veins popping in his forehead, his eyes bulging and twitching, there was nothing left of the man Make once knew.

"Shouldn't have come here...now you gotta die with the dirty bitches! Shouldn't have come here! Dirty, fucking, bastard!" Uka gasped and dove away from the sudden swing. James kept going, smashing the wall. Uka got to his feet while James tore the hammer from the wall, his eyes on the verge of bursting. Uka took a step back, stumbling over a doll. James shook his head, advancing with monstrous speed.

"Get out of my way! I gotta teach her a lesson!" This time, Uka didn't duck away. With a practiced gait and a powerful swing, he brought the driver around and caught James in the side of the head. The professor crumpled to the ground, his inexplicable rage ended as blood streamed down the side of his head. Uka could barely breathe as he stumbled blankly to the closet door, smashing the handle and pulling open what little remained of it. A tiny voice screamed and scurried back into the shadows. He dropped to his knees, his head swimming, a migraine piercing through his thoughts, Uka swallowed, trying to find his voice in his cotton dry throat.

"_Sakura-chan...are you alright_?" The two sat in silence...waiting, unsure of where to go from here. Slowly, Blossom, sole survivor of the Utonium family, crawled out of the shadows. She favored her right side, there was an evident bruise forming on her face. She bit her lip and struggled to hold in any more tears. Uka scooted closer, pulling her into his arms and hugging her as tight as he dared, trying with all his might to block out the world around them.

Then...safe in his arms, little Blossom finally cried. Harder, and harder...until soon, Mako Uka felt tears began to stream down his cheeks. He had fled to America because he no longer had a place to call home. And now, this little girl who had adored him so much...had no where to call home and no one to depend on. Uka buried his face in her hair and hugged her tighter.

Fate...was a cruel, sadistic bastard.

**End of Act I**


	2. Act II  Trapped in Purgatorio

**Act II: Lost in Purgatorio**

"M...Mister...Mr. Uka...Uka-san...D-Daddy...Daddy he..." Uka shook his head, shushing Blossom, lifting her into his arms as he rose to his feet. He swallowed and kept his head down, unwilling to survey the wreckage around him. A successful husband, a beautiful wife, three beautiful children...the perfect family. Now, only one had survived.

"_What happened, James_?" He whispered, finally turning to get a good look at his former pupil. James Utonium was long dead, but the crazed, vicious look remained on his face. The blood streaming across his face only seemed to...to intensify his madness. What could drive a man to kill his family? Uka felt Blossom's tiny arms snake around his neck and hold him with all their might. Now wasn't the time to ponder the past, there was a more pressing present to attend to.

"Blossom, keep your eyes down," Uka muttered, gently laying her head against his shoulder. Blossom trembled, fighting weakly against him.

"They...Daddy...he...Mr. Uka, he..." The poor thing couldn't finish a sentence, it was a miracle she had the strength to even speak. Uka kept her head down, hoping to spare her the nightmare of seeing the carnage. A tiny gasp, mingled in a strangled sob let him know that he had failed. He wasted no time, fleeing the room and hurrying down the stairs. He started for the front door, but remembering the state he'd found Buttercup in, instead made a quick turn and headed to the back door.

"Wh...Where...where..." Blossom mumbled in panicked, airy gasps.

"The back door, the front won't open," he answered. Blossom shivered violently, but nodded, burying her face in the nape of his neck. Uka paused at the door, swallowing and steeling his nerves when the little girl started crying again. Sighing, he tore out the back door and started off aimlessly into the suburbs of Pokey Oaks.

Where could he take her? Just taking a quick glance at her, just gently rubbing her back, he could tell she needed medical attention. He could dress her injuries but...part of him worried that they may be worse than he could gauge.

"Are you hurt?" He asked bluntly, ducking away from a crowded sidewalk, into a cool, dark alley. Blossom shivered and wrapped her arms, and legs, tighter around him.

"Uh huh..." Finally a complete thought, he noted with a nod. The problem came in trying to decide where to take her. Surely, he could take her to an emergency room. They would help her, wouldn't they? But...the sticky situation she was in...would they take her from him? Maybe she would be safer...happier with someone else. Or maybe, his more jealous mind reasoned, maybe that would hurt her even worse. If he gave her up to the city, he'd never see her again. She'd be just another orphan in the system, wouldn't she?

"Blossom...I need to take you to a doctor," He started slowly. Blossom tightened her death grip on him. For a moment, she held him so tight she stopped breathing.

"Don't...don't go..." Uka nodded. He had no intention of leaving her. The problem was more the legality of the situation. Her parents dead...the person responsible for her would be the next nearest relative? But James' family had long since moved away from Townsville, and what of Cassandra's family? Uka swallowed and ducked away from another busy intersection. They were getting closer to the city proper, soon he wouldn't be able to hide without endangering them both.

"_I have to think_," He muttered. The adrenaline, the panic, was making it hard to think rationally. The responsible thing to do would be to get Blossom cared for first, then worry about where she would end up. But...rational as the thought was, he couldn't help tightening his embrace. To whom would she belong? How would he know she was cared for?

Uka groaned in frustration, glancing up as the two shambled down the sidewalk. His vision sparkled, a migraine was coming on. He could hear a piercing whistle in the distance, but he knew it would get closer. It was getting closer. He would be useless to her if he didn't get his medicine.

"Blossom...I must...return to my hotel room, just for a moment. Will you be alright?" Blossom peeked away from his shoulder, tears streaming down her face. She nodded, again burying her face.

"Uh huh..." Uka nodded and glanced around. By no small amount of luck, he managed to flag down a taxi almost immediately. Moving carefully, he slid into the backseat, cradling Blossom closer. To his disgust, he recognized the man as the driver from before. The greasy, fat man turned around, looking the pair up and down.

"What's going on, bud? Who's the kid?" Uka lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"The Hilton," He hissed through clenched teeth. The migraine was building up, the pain intensified to the point he didn't even notice the car begin moving. The sudden realization hit him hard, sending him reeling into a wave of nausea. With a superhuman resolve, he forced the feeling down and clutched Blossom like an anchor. She peered up again, new concern in her gaze.

"M...Mist...U...Uk-ka...s...san? D...Dai..." Uka shook his head, cutting her off. Though he was glad to see her talking more, she shouldn't be wasting her strength on translation.

"I'm fine...I just need to get something from my room," he explained, offering a pained, but sincere smile. Blossom nodded and returned to shuddering silence for the duration of the trip. Taking much longer than Uka had hoped, they finally arrived at the Hilton. In a practiced, fluid motion—perhaps made quicker by desperation—Uka paid the man and swept out of the car, making a dignified charge for the elevator.

As the world slowly lit up into painful shifting colors and lights, as a painful whistling filled his head, Uka wracked what remained of his mind on just how to care for the little girl. The Utonium family massacre would be found out soon, he was running out of time before she was taken from him. Someone in the town...someone had to know something; there had to be someone she could turn to, he could send her to. As Uka exited the elevator, he was nearly trampled by a massive man with an ugly, fat face. Uka stared at him until the elevator doors closed, a light turning on in his mind.

"_Uncle_?" Didn't the girls have an uncle? Or at least a man they called their uncle? Uka practically fell into his room, barely able to keep Blossom in his arms. Body weak, every function giving out, he snatched his pill bottle and struggled to open it without putting her down. Uka groaned and collapsed back on his bed, grunting as Blossom landed hard on him. The ceiling swirled in violent, oppressive patterns. The siren was wailing, his head was threatening to split open.

"ka-san...ka-san..." Uka felt something being pressed into his mouth, a tablet? He graciously swallowed it and moaned, grabbing his head. Whatever it was, it did its job. The pain subsided, the lights dimmed, and the siren faded into silence. Uka's eyes slowly uncrossed as he sat up, at least as far as he could. Blossom wiped her nose, and hiccuped, sitting on his chest with an opened bottle in her shaking hands. Uka pushed himself up the rest of the way, rubbing his head and looking her up and down.

In decent light, he could actually see the extent of her injury. Thankfully, it seemed less severe than he'd imagined. Her face was bruised, the left side, but that was probably the worst he could see. He gently touched her chin, turning her face left and right. He noted earlier how she seemed to favor her right leg. Cocking his head, Uka gently touched her left leg. Blossom hissed and teared up when his fingers brushed her ankle. Sighing and rubbing his head, Uka shifted her onto the bed beside him.

"Your uncle...Johenson-san, where does he live?" Blossom furrowed her brow, looking curiously at Uka.

"Uncle Joey? He...why?" Uka laced his fingers and leaned on his knees, staring at the far wall.

"He is, as I recall, your godfather. In the event of your parents'...passing, he is now who we turn to for your safety," Blossom whimpered and looked down at the floor. That was odd, Uka thought. All three of the girls had seemed quite fond of their uncle.

"S...So I...I have...to...with Un-Uncle J-Joey?" Uka nodded, turning away to stare at the far wall again. She would be safest with them, against that, there was no argument. They had a home, they had careers, they could protect her. He was a vagrant, a shade lost away from home...chasing a ghoul in the night. Uka rubbed his head and growled, startling Blossom.

"Are you okay?" Her first full sentence...he nodded, sliding to his feet and offering his arms to her.

"You should not walk, come, I'll carry you. Just tell me where to go," Blossom wanted to protest, it was on the tip of her tongue. He'd seen it before in his students, he could see the same reaction in this child. Unlike the students, she didn't protest, she accepted his embrace and wrapped herself around him.

"Okay...I think I remember..." Uka nodded, and, his pills safely tucked in his pocket, the two left the dark room.

* * *

Uka climbed the steps to the generous-sized home in one of the ritzier sides of Townsville. James had never mentioned how well off the Johensons were...not that he cared, Uka thought with a snort. All he cared about was knowing that Blossom would be safe. She deserved that much, and he couldn't let his spite get in the way.

"_Please be home, Johenson-san..." _Uka muttered, shifting his hold on Blossom. She'd fallen asleep on the trip out, thankfully. After what she'd been through, he was amazed she could sleep at all. Even he hadn't seemed to have recovered that ability.

Just as Uka prepared to knock again, the door opened and the much shorter scientist opened the door, staring in shock at the pair. Joey gasped and reached out, gently touching Blossom. In a fury, he turned on Uka.

"What happened to her? Wh...What...Where are the others? Where have they been placed, where is their current location..." Joey trailed off, rubbing his hands together and breathing deeply. Uka closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"I apologize, Johenson-san...may I bring Blossom inside?" Joey nodded, letting the pair inside. He practically slammed the door behind them. Uka started to lay Blossom on the couch, but even fast asleep, she refused to let go of him. Sighing, defeated, he sat down on the sofa with her still safely nestled in his arms. Joey was pacing the living room, eyes narrowed. He rubbed his hands together and turned to Uka, speaking in a very slow, measured voice.

"Where...are James...and Cassie?" Uka glanced down at Blossom then back at Joey with blunt seriousness.

"They are dead," Joey's eyes widened. He ran his hands through his hair and clenched his eyes shut. He already knew the truth...it was only a matter of accepting it.

"The girls..." He whispered, his voice cracking. Not batting an eyelash, his gaze fixed on Blossom's bruised face, he responded in a low tone.

"Blossom is the only one left..." Joey responded with a strangled cry. He was pacing again. One minute he sat back in a recliner, only to leap to his feet and stumble around his own living room in a daze. It was like he didn't even know where he was.

"Blossom needs to see a doctor, and you are now her legal guardian," Uka pointed out. Joey nodded, but only collapsed in his recliner again, head in his hands. He shook violently, tears streaking down his cheeks.

"H-How...how is it that she has come to be in your possession? Where did you find her, how do you have her, why do you know this?" Again, Joey was forced to cut himself off. In his stress, he was rambling, badly, Uka noted.

"I saved her..."

"From who? Who could have done this? How could anyone have committed such a crime? What monster stole my best friends, snatched away my...my nieces...who did this?"

"Jimmy-san...he did this," The room fell into silence. Even Blossom's thin, tired snores went unheard. Joey didn't dare look away from Uka's stern red eyes. He was shaking.

"Jim...did this?"

"Yes..." Joey shook his head, once more on his feet. This time, it wasn't a panicked walk. It was a furious march. He flew from side to side, clenching and relaxing his fists.

"No, that isn't possible, Jim would never..." He looked back at Uka, only to find the older gentleman's stern, but pained expression. Joey stumbled to the two, and gently brushed back Blossom's hair, observing the purpling bruise on her cheek. He tried to take her from him, but Blossom refused to budge. It took effort from both parties to transfer Blossom into Joey's much safer embrace. He cradled her close, burying his face in her messy red hair, hair that Cassandra had...had helped her take such good care of. Joey broke down, sobbing.

"_I will leave you..._" Uka whispered, walking out of the room. He wanted to leave, he knew he should, but he had promised her that he wouldn't leave her. It would be easy to just walk out the door and go on with his drifting, knowing that Sakura-chan was in good hands. It should have been easy...but he couldn't do it. Even peering back into the living room, seeing how tightly Joey held her, safe but with an almost porcelain delicacy. Uka lowered his head.

"You said...that she...needs a doctor?" Uka nodded, pulling open the door for Joey. The scientist nodded in thanks and headed out, locking the door behind him. It hadn't just been Cassandra...Joey took extra precautions to secure his home. Townsville, it seemed, just wasn't safe anymore.

"I will accompany you...I promised S...Blossom that I would not disappear," Uka stated. Joey shook his head, unlocking his car with a slight effort.

"You don't have to do that...she's safe now," Uka's lips twitched. He shook his head, taking a spot at the passenger side.

"She would be most displeased if I were to lie to her..." Joey nodded, understanding. The drive to the hospital was a quiet, uneventful trip. They made a quick swoop by the Utonium house, where the police had already swooped in to clean up the mess. Uka sneered, knowing he would more than likely make the suspect list. At least someone knew the truth...still, he worried how the police would handle Blossom's testimony. A shell-shocked six year old girl wasn't always credible as a witness.

"They'll think you did it, if you were there," Even Joey's voice held some suspicion. Uka nodded, keeping his eyes fixed forward.

"I am aware. However, they will only find Jimmy-san's blood on the weapon I held," Joey nearly rammed into the car in front of him. He turned, staring in disbelief at Uka. The older man remained steadfast, turning to pierce Joey with a steely glare.

"Jimmy-san had his sights set on Sakura-chan, and myself. There was no reasoning with him...I did what needed to be done," Uka turned back to the road, closing his eyes. He could still see James' rage torn face. He could still hear his snarling, monstrous voice. What had gone wrong? What had happened to turn James Utonium, the meekest man Mako Uka had ever known, into a frothing psychopath?

"...So it was self-defense?" Joey muttered, his eyes narrowed. Uka flinched, his lips pulling back into a snarl. Was that accusation in Johenson-san's voice?

"You think I was the one responsible," It wasn't a question, Uka was stating a fact. In the way Joey clenched the steering wheel tighter, the way he held Blossom a little closer, he knew it. Uka narrowed his eyes, watching the city fly by.

"What choice do I have? I don't...I refuse to believe that Jim would have done something so...so terrible..." Another forced finish. Hadn't James mentioned before that Joey had a speech disorder? Uka crossed his arms.

"Unfortunately, it's the truth...Blossom's story will confirm what I've told you," Joey shook his head, taking his eyes off the road just long enough to glance at the little girl still sleeping fitfully in his arms. The way her face screwed up, the moans and whimpers she cried...the tears leaking down her bright red cheeks. Whatever had happened, she wasn't going to be the same. If nothing else, that was something both adults could agree on. No one had been hurt worse than this little girl.

* * *

Blossom woke up by the time they reached the emergency room. Long as the wait had been, it was nothing compared to the tangible silence hanging in the room as the doctor examined Blossom's cuts and bruises. Uka stood quietly in the corner, wishing he could disappear completely. That feeling waned trading secretive glances with Blossom, who seemed to relax immensely each and every time she saw him standing there.

"There we go...all patched up. How do you feel?" The doctor asked, leaning forward to look Blossom in the eye. She quickly looked away, gently feeling the thick cotton bandages on her cheek. Her lips quivered; she immediately looked up at Uka, who offered a slight smile. She swallowed and looked back at her feet. Uka took that moment to take one of his pills. The bottle was getting disturbingly light.

"I...I...okay..." she whispered, her voice weak, trembling. It was a miracle she even managed to form words. Uka narrowed his eyes, his vision clearing up as the pill took effect, and cocked his head. She'd been speaking much better earlier. She stole another glance at him, her lips moving but no words coming out. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Uka gazed back.

"Blossom? Are you sure? I'm so thankful you're alright...I was...I've heard...what happened? Blossom, do you know what happened? Can you tell us, pass along this information, reveal to us the secrets of your-" Joey rubbed his hands together and threw a cautionary glare at Uka.

"I...I..." Uka blinked, again met with her terrified pink gaze.

"_Why are you shaking?"_ He whispered. Blossom's mouth opened and closed again, but she couldn't seem to form a proper sentence. The doctor sighed and patted Joey on the shoulder.

"Thank you for bringing her in Mr. Johenson...I think it will be a while before she can tell us what happened. It must have been awful," Uka sneered and glanced out the door's window. There were police patrolling the halls, probably looking for the same explanation that the doctor and Joey now sought. Sighing, rubbing his head, the retired teacher strolled across the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed, near Blossom.

"_I'm sorry._ Blossom watched her entire family's murder...or at least most of it. Were it not for a blind chance of luck, she, too, would have been murdered," The doctor and Joey stared wide-eyed at Uka, just as the door opened and a thin black police officer came in, accompanied by an overweight smaller officer.

"I'm sorry to barge in, gentlemen, but we were sent to see Ms. Blossom Utonium. She..." Uka cut him off, his mind squeezing inside his head. Hadn't he just taken a pill? The room seemed terribly bright, the colors seemed to be intermixing.

"Sakura-chan is already well aware of what has transpired, as you can see," Without thinking, Uka gently touched her shoulder as he stood up. Blossom's head shot up, her eyes transfixed on Uka. Her cheeks were pink, her blush mingling with her bruises.

"Excuse me, but who are you, buddy? I know Johenson, he's the kid's goddad, but you, I ain't never seen you around," The portly officer commented rudely, pointing a doughnut at Uka. The accused narrowed his eyes, staring at the man's deep fried obsession.

"My name is Mako Uka, I was a professor of James' when he studied abroad many years ago," The officer slowly lowered his doughnut, wilting in Uka's never-wavering glare. The thin officer cleared his throat and stepped between the two.

"It's nice to meet you, wish it had been under better circumstances. So I assume you're...here because of the Professor," Uka shook his head, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"_No_, I was the one who found and saved Blossom from the man who murdered her family. I brought her to Johenson-san, and together we brought her to this place so that she could be treated for her injuries, not so she could be questioned by anyone who happened upon this room," The portly officer narrowed his beady eyes and leaned closer—even at his fullest height, he barely reached Uka's midsection.

"Yeah, yeah, that's a lot of pretty talk, pal. But you're gonna need a better alibi. The way I see it, what stops you from bein' the murderer?" The thin cop rolled his eyes, but from the corner of his eye, Uka saw Joey nod slightly. Uka turned on the smaller man in disbelief. How could he possibly believe that? What did Uka have to gain from sparing Blossom the same fate as her sisters?

"Look, Brokowski, why would he bring the kid to Johenson if he killed the rest of them?" Brokowski peered over his sunglasses at Uka. He groaned and grumbled something unintelligible, taking a bite of his doughnut. The thin officer shook his head and approached Blossom, kneeling down next to the bed. Uka bristled when he saw the way she flinched away from the officer.

"Hey, it's alright. I know you've been through something really bad...but you know, if you tell us what happened, we can catch the guy who did it, alright?" Blossom opened her mouth and turned to Uka. He raised an eyebrow; she was shaking. Blossom uttered a small sound, then closed her mouth and looked at the floor.

"It's alright, Ms. Utonium, you don't have to tell us right now. Mr...Uka was it? Do you think you could give us a full statement on what you saw?" Uka barely heard him, he was more interested in the way Blossom kept shooting glances his way. Hearing the officer's suggestion, Blossom suddenly tensed up and looked at Uka with a frightened glare.

"N-N..." Uka sat down next to Blossom, leaning forward to look her in the eye.

"Is something wrong, Sakura-chan?" Blossom's face turned bright red. She shook her head and clamped her mouth shut. After a moment of thought, she finally spoke.

"I...I don't want you to g-go..." Her voice was so soft...not at all the slightly obnoxious, confident tone she'd spoken with not twenty-four hours ago. Uka nodded, lacing his fingers and resting his chin on them.

"Very well, I will not leave," The thin cop scratched his head, looking back and forth between the two. Joey swallowed and rubbed Blossom's shoulder. She flinched and jerked away from him.

"Blossom, please, you'll be alright here, with me, I promise," Blossom shook her head, looking at Mr. Uka again. Uka raised his eyebrow.

"I...don't go away...please?" Uka closed his eyes. He needed to contact his physician back home...he was running low on medication already. Hadn't the doctor said to only take four a day? He'd certainly surpassed that by mid-morning, easily.

"I will stay for now, but I must leave shortly," Blossom grabbed Uka's hand and looked at the thin officer.

"If-f...If I t-tell you what happened, d-do you promise not to a...arrest Mr. Uka?" The officer nodded; Blossom took a deep breath.

"It...I...this morning...I don't know, but something...Mr. Uka didn't do it! He didn't hurt anyone!" Joey crossed his arms, fidgeting. Uka closed his eyes, unable to take the room spinning any longer.

"That is only partially true, I was the one who killed James," Blossom whimpered and tugged on his arm.

"So you admit to murdering him? I knew you weren't any good the minute I saw ya, you're comin' with us, buddy," The fat officer took another vicious bite of his doughnut. He made a grab for Uka's wrist, but the ex-teacher jerked free easily.

"I killed James in self-defense, as Blossom's story will confirm," Blossom nodded and trembled. Rubbing the side of her head, she tried to recall the events from that morning.

"I was upst-stairs wi...with Mommy. Sh-She was trying to f-fix my hair...Dad...Daddy was...in his l-lab..." Blossom teared up, hugging Mr. Uka's arm. Her voice cracked and she couldn't speak any more. Uka took a deep breath, opening his eyes. The room had settled, but sparkles still danced awkwardly in front of him.

"For some unexplained reason, Professor James Utonium went insane and murdered his family with a large hammer...I believe your word is sledgehammer?" The thin officer nodded blankly in Uka's direction, his mouth hanging open. Uka nodded and continued, "By the time I arrived, Buttercup, Bubbles, and Cassandra Utonium had all been murdered. James was in the process of breaking down the door to the closet Blossom was hidden in. At my appearance, he charged. Having no other choice, I struck him and killed him," Uka snatched at his shirt pocket, his lips twitching finding it empty.

"That is what occurred," Joey flinched and shook his head.

"I refuse to believe this! It's insane, impossible, unreasonable! James was a terrific father! He would have never done something so atrocious, so awful, so utterly-" Joey trailed off, staring into Blossom's haunted expression. She bit her lip and looked down.

"He did it...Daddy did it...we heard noises...Mommy started to go look but then Daddy came in...h-he...h-he...h-had B-Bu...Bubbles...sh-she was bleeding. I w-wanted...I wanted...I tried to help but he hit me! S-So M-Mommy...he threw her on the bed and tr-tried to...tried to hit her...she moved, but he hit B-Bub...he hit...Mommy fell on top of me. She told me to h-h-hide. So I got in the closet and locked it...I heard him hitting her...then he tried to get in to get me too!"

"That's enough," Uka cleared his throat and gripped Blossom's hand, "You have your details, let her rest,"

"Right...thank you, Blossom..."

"Wait! Where are you g-g-g-" Uka froze as Blossom nearly fell off the bed, latching onto his wrist with all her strength.

"I must leave, I need to make a phone call," Blossom's face fell, she refused to let him go. Opening her mouth to speak, words failed as tears took their place. Joey gently pried her away from Uka.

"You will be staying in town...correct?" There was that accusation again. He didn't bother to look at Joey.

"Should Blossom need me...I will be available," Uka started for the door, hesitating only when they made eye contact again.

* * *

Thin rays of moonlight came in through the blinds. A heavy down comforter lay in a crumpled pile in the corner. The window was tightly shut, despite the heat of the room. He sat on the edge of the bed, sweat trickling from his brow. It would be a few weeks before he could get his new prescription.

"So you are...enjoying school?"

"...Nuh uh..."

"I miss the days you took pleasure in learning,"

Uka wiped his mouth. Forty-eight hours, give or take, had passed since the Utonium family massacre. Blossom still wasn't speaking well. From what he had heard, she wasn't speaking at all in most cases. He was torn between amused and honored that she only truly spoke to him. Honor was meaningless now though...he'd trade that bit of affection in an instant for her life to return to normal.

"...Can..."

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Can I...see you?"

"...That wouldn't be a wise idea,"

That day, Blossom was caught up in a slew of paperwork and transfer. Now, she lived with Joey Johenson, his wife Sara, and their three sons. Uka hadn't seen Blossom since that day. It had partially been due to Joey's request that Uka stay away from her. The silly man needed someone to blame...and so Uka had become that lightning rod. But the truth was, Uka couldn't see her this way. Until his medication came in, or until he decided to ignore the doctor's orders and start smoking again, he wasn't going to let her see him so...pitiful.

"..."

"I will...see what I can do,"

"R-Really? D-Do you pr-promise?"

"...I will see what can be done,"

"...I miss you,"

A siren suddenly swelled up and cried outside. The police activity in Townsville had skyrocketed. While giving an official police statement, the thin officer had commented on that odd occurrence. The safest city in the world had become anything but. Uka sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The tiny breath on the other line stopped.

"...You should rest, Blossom,"

"...I like it..."

"_What?_"

"I...I like it when you c-call me...when you call me S-Sakura-chan..."

Uka chuckled and rose, a bit too quickly. He steadied himself and walked to the window. There, in front of the Hilton of all places, was a gang fight. He shook his head and chuckled again.

"..._Goodnight_, Sakura-chan"

"...Goodnight, Uka-san...sweet dreams," Uka nodded, setting the phone back on its cradle. Sweet dreams, indeed. He couldn't recall sleeping at all over the last few days, not since the day his house burned down, and yet there were...blank moments in his days. Times when he would suddenly find himself at home, though he had never gone back. Other times, he would find himself in the city, though he couldn't recall going out.

Sweet dreams, indeed. Uka sighed and leaned against the window, watching the first blood fall. These restless nights, they weren't helping him. They weren't helping Blossom either. She missed him...and he missed her as well. He missed seeing her face light up when he walked into the room. He missed her rapid chattering and constant requests for approval. He missed complimenting her; he missed teaching her, watching her shine bright.

"_You don't smile now, Sakura-chan...I wish you would,"_ He whispered.

* * *

Townsville Elementary Academy, an upstanding corporation of intellectual development and scholastic activity. Sitting in the heart of downtown Townsville, it was unlike any other major public school of its kind. Excellent test scores, near perfect graduation rate...a parent would be a fool to not give their child the best chance to succeed. Now, standing on the sidewalk overlooking the entrance, Uka was less than impressed.

Though pristine for the most part, someone had taken the time to declare "We don't need no education" in spray paint on the side of the building. Uka shook his head and strolled to the large double doors. Inside, it was every bit as welcoming and pretty as it was outside. Fresh tiled floors, warm lights, new paint. A few years ago, he'd have been happy to be employed herein. Accompanied by his worsening headaches, these days the thought of teaching again made him ill.

"_It should be any time now..._" He murmured, pacing the entryway. He glanced at his watch, looking up just in time to spot the stampede of students making their way to safety. With a practiced gait, Uka avoided the oncoming horde, craning his neck to find the only one he was interested in.

"Sakura-chan," He called, a smile tugging on his lips. The little girl's head shot up, her bright pink eyes wide with wonder. His chest locked up seeing the smile grow on her pretty face; he couldn't help but feel...excited as she pushed her way to him. Shamelessly, she threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his side.

"Mr. Uka! Y-You came! Wh-why? Why are you h-here?" Uka's smile faltered. Even in person, she was still stuttering. He knelt down and patted her shoulder, offering a sincere smile.

"You wished to see me...so I made arrangements to be here to at least say hello," Blossom's grin widened; she hugged him again. Uka's eyes widened when she planted a small kiss on his cheek.

"I r-really missed you...can I stay with you? J-j-just for a little bit...pl-please?" Uka raised his eyebrow and shrugged. He had nothing else to do—he never did—but her power of attorney rested in Joey's hands. And recent developments showed that Joey had no well-feelings for Mako Uka.

"It would depend on-" Uka trailed off, watching the three little boys approach. One, with neatly cut red hair, grabbed Blossom's shoulder roughly.

"Hey! We gotta go, or we're gonna miss the bus! C'mon!" Blossom stared back at the boy, eyes wide and mouth moving useless. He rolled his eyes and stalked off.

"Brick! Wait up! C'mon, Blossom! Dad'll be mad if we miss the bus **again!**" Blossom flinched and the second boy, a boy with wild black hair, ran after his brother. The last brother, a dizzy-eyed blond, shrugged.

"Uh...who's your friend?" Blossom blinked and looked up at Uka. She bit her lip and swallowed.

"He...he's...this is...Mr. Uka..." The blond boy blinked and looked up at the towering Japanese man. Uka stared back, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"You are Johenson-san's son...correct?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm Boomer. What are you doing here?" Uka couldn't help narrowing his eyes. This little boy was threatening him? He felt Blossom's hand slip inside his and relaxed slightly. It was nice to know that she was in good hands.

"I came to see Blossom...you should go with them, before you miss your ride," Blossom glanced up at him desperately, but Uka turned away, avoiding those dangerous eyes. She sighed and nodded. Boomer grabbed her hand and led her away, throwing cautious glances back at Uka.

"_Perhaps another time, Sakura-chan_," Blossom looked back, catching Uka's last call. He smiled and nodded. Her cheeks flushed and she giggled, nodding his head, Uka turned on his heel and headed back into town, aimlessly. For once in a great long while, his mind was unoccupied by deduction and analysis. For but a brief moment, he'd forgotten what was assuredly the source of this tragedy. For now...all he could see was little Blossom's smile, perverting his every thought and preventing any other train of consciousness from prevailing.

Uka paused momentarily, staring with one eyebrow raised at a television display. The news was blaring across every screen, a news anchor in a cheap suit with a cheaper hair piece was rattling off the latest updates on the sudden crime wave. He turned, crossing his arms as one piece caught his eye.

"The body count of the week reached double digits last night when, reportedly, a gang fight broke out, resulting in a rather brutal massacre of five local teens-" Uka pinched the bridge of his nose and clenched his eyes shut. Five teens murdered? That shouldn't sound as familiar as it did.

"_Five more deaths..._" Uka shook his head and started back down the sidewalk. Blossom couldn't be safe here...but she was with Joey, he wouldn't let anyone hurt her, right? Uka groaned and grabbed at his breast pocket again. Still nothing, he needed to correct that.

"Ugh..." Uka stumbled, clutching his head. The world exploded in a sea of color and the ground started swaying beneath him. He fumbled for his pockets, only to realize he'd taken his last pill before heading out to see Blossom. Gasping, he took a step backward. The world upended and dumped him into the sky. Spinning, reaching indignantly for the ground, pain exploded near his left eye, a red smear blurring his vision. The world faded into a mingling amalgam of red and black, until feeling slipped away.

Vaguely, he could hear something, but soon, even hearing was gone.

* * *

_An odd sensation..._

"Now, now, don't struggle so! You'll be fine!"

_Not waking or slumbering...what is this..._

"Mm, you're a lucky one...not safe these days,"

_Are my eyes open? I can't see, but I can't close them..._

"There we go, now just open...ah, ah! No biting...oh, but your lips are so warm,"

_Who is this? What's happening...NGH!_

* * *

Uka sat up suddenly, grunting and grabbing his head. The first thing he noticed was that he was very much shirtless. The second thing he noticed was his conspicuous lack of pants. Finally, he noticed the green-eyed man sitting like a cat at the end of the bed, grinning brightly.

"How fun! I thought you'd never wake up!" Uka stared at the strange young man, finally shaking his head and throwing the covers back.

"Where are my clothes?" The young man giggled wildly and jumped up, strutting across the room. Uka couldn't help noticing the exaggerated swing in his hips. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. The headache had passed, but how? He'd never been able to simple ride one out before...it wasn't an experience he was looking forward to repeating.

"If only I had a nickel for every time I heard that! Why, I'd be the richest man in Townsville!" The young man giggled again, throwing Uka his pants. The retired professor swung his legs over the side of the bed. Odd, he remembered his head hitting the ground and yet...he felt better than before the accident.

"Well?" Turning his dark-rimmed eyes to his alleged savior, Uka frowned.

"You are?" The young man smirked a near cat-like little smile. He was thin and tall, though shorter than Uka himself, with bright green eyes and deep tinged skin. Not necessarily Middle-Eastern in appearance, but certainly not Caucasian by any description. His clothes were several sizes too small and he practically crawled across the bed to rest by Uka's side.

"My name is Tom...Tom Nigelo, and you are?" Uka furrowed his brow and stood up. Tom's eyes lazily followed him, finally reaching his face. He seemed pleased with himself.

"I am Mako Uka...where am I and why am I here?" Tom giggled and sat back on his bed, gesturing flamboyantly.

"You passed out and hit your head, what was I to do? Simply leave you? Oh, no, no! Golden rule and all that good stuff! This is my home, by the way. I hope you don't mind," Tom snickered and gestured to Uka's near-naked form, "I figured it would be more comfortable to rest without silly clothes getting in the way," Uka snorted and slid his pants on.

"While I appreciate your kindness, I prefer to decide for myself what is most comfortable,"

"Well, it is so very hard to make your own decisions with your head split, blood gushing gaily about! I'm so very sorry, Mako. I promise," Tom followed Uka across the room, slipping ahead of him to hand his shirt back, "The next time I undress you, it will be by your full consent," Tom grinned cheekily; Uka rolled his eyes and began to button his shirt.

"I prefer Uka," Dressed again, his shoes slipped back on, Uka made a bee-line for the door. Tom was quick at his heels.

"Hey, hey! Mako, no need to rush out. Here, let me buy you a drink or ten to make up for this little...inconsideration on my part," Uka grabbed the doorknob; Tom grabbed Uka's hand. Their eyes met and Uka felt Tom's grip on his hand tighten. Groaning, he flung the door open and sighed.

"Address me as Uka, and buy me cigarettes, if you must atone at all," Tom laughed and followed close behind, patting Uka on the shoulder. The older man tensed and shot a glare at Tom, who only grinned in response.

"Cigarettes and beer! You're my kind of man, Mako..." Shaking his head—he was starting to feel a pain in his neck—Uka sighed and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"It is Uka...and I prefer whiskey,"

* * *

"So you were a college professor? That is...not at all what I pictured, to be perfectly honest, Mako. Oh honey! Another round, if you would be so kind?" Tom shot down another appletini while Uka calmly sipped his whiskey. What was supposed to be one drink had turned into several.

"It is Uka, and yes, I taught advanced world history...what do you do? Surely you have somewhere better to be then this place?" Tom giggled and winked at the flustered bartender—a man in his mid-twenties with pink and green hair.

"Oh I run a gas station, not a glamorous profession, but it pays the bills. So what brings you to Townsville, hmm? Not wrapped up in some delicious scandal, are you? Fleeing an angry lover? Come to find your fortune and start over in the land of broken hopes and battered dreams?" Uka shook his head and Tom frowned, grumbling. The young man had tried his best to get Uka to laugh all night. Thus far, he hadn't succeeded in even winning a cracked smile.

"I came to see a friend...unfortunately, he passed away recently," Tom leaned forward, playing with the olive floating in his drink.

"Is that so? So sad," Uka nodded.

"I killed him," Tom blinked and sat up, raising his eyebrow. The flashing rainbow lights beyond them lit up his neon make up, made his eyes seem to glitter.

"Oh? You say that like it isn't a crime..." Uka took another sip of whiskey, nodding when the bartender slid him another shot.

"It was in self-defense. He murdered his family, I was protecting the surviving child," Tom pursed his lips and shot back his appletini.

"So that's why you seem so familiar...the Utonium case, the 'foreign friend' was you, was it?" Uka nodded, sighing and glancing at the clock. Three hours now, how long did Tom intend to hold him captive? He needed to return to his room...truth be told, he needed to start searching for some place more permanent to live.

"That is correct..." Uka sighed and shot back the remainder of his whiskey. Standing, he started for the door. Tom jumped up and followed after him—neither left any sort of payment for the drinks.

"Hey! Where are you going so quickly, Mako? You know, you haven't asked me very many questions!" Ignoring the playful tone in Tom's voice, Uka slipped out into the night without a second glance.

"I will not waste your time further, Nigelo-san, and I would prefer that you offer me the same courtesy...and my name is Uka," Tom waved his hand and slipped his arm around Uka's. The latter stopped in his tracks, glaring at his young companion. Tom only grinned.

"Oh poo, just humor me, will you? I simply have to make sure you get home safely! What kind of date would I be otherwise, Mako?" Uka clenched his fists and stormed off, a vein in his forehead throbbing. What was it about this man that was so infuriating? What about him preventing Uka from simply extricating himself of such invasion?

"Do what you must, Nigelo-san," Uka pulled his new pack of cigarettes out, now nearly empty as he took yet another one. Tom was quick to provide a light. Uka blew a cloud of smoke into the air and relaxed, staring at the starless night sky. If nothing else had gone preferably, his headaches had subsided entirely, and he had ash to breathe once more.

"Oh don't be stingy now, Mako," Uka raised his eyebrow and glared at his obsessive companion. Tom wore the same cheeky grin, even when Uka's expression failed to soften. Grunting, he picked up the pace. He could see the hotel looming in the distance. Tom sighed and fell into step beside him once more.

"Why must you be so abrasive, Mako? We aren't so different...we're both aliens, aren't we?" Uka slowed to a stop, turning to face Tom.

"Is that so?" Tom clapped his hands and nodded vigorously.

"Why, yes! You're from Japan and I'm from Citysville! Complete fish out of water!" Uka shook his head and marched off, taking a moment to light another cigarette before shoving his hands in his pockets once more. Tom grumbled and jogged after him.

"You are such the people person, aren't you now?" Silence was the best response. Anything he said, Tom tended to ignore. Or worse, twisted around entirely. Thoroughly irked, Tom crossed his arms and looked away. They reached the hotel within the hour, stopping at Uka's room. Uka glanced over his shoulder at his escort.

"You can leave now," Still miffed, but hopeful, Tom smirked and stood up straight, leaning toward Uka.

"So that's all, hm? No gratitude for helping you? Or the night on the town? Hm?" Uka opened his door and stepped inside.

"Your assistance was appreciated," With that, he shut the door and wandered through the dark moonlit room. Stale air and sweat permeated the generally well-kept room. Uka pulled off his tie and stepped into the darker bathroom. He took a moment to check his reflection; the dark rings around his eyes seemed darker still.

"_Sleep still refuses to come...this is unnatural. I shouldn't be walking,_" He sighed and slipped off his shirt, hanging it on the bathroom door. What was this Tom Nigelo? Why had he followed him so diligently? Steam slowly filled the bathroom, Uka stepped into the hot water with a slight grunt. He sighed and ran his hands through his matted hair. The steam blurred his vision; the bathroom suddenly felt far, far away. Uka moaned and rolled his head back, staring at the ceiling. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and rested against the wall.

Isn't it odd how little time seems to matter when there's nothing to work for? He mused haphazardly. Peering through fog, he raised his eyebrow, catching a glimpse of the shadows moving in the next room. Somehow, he felt a camaraderie with them...as poorly poetic as that felt and sounded. Drifting, bending to the light, but really...just simply...being there.

Simply...standing in the background, bending around the...light...

"Hm? Oh...hi there, pretty kitty...are you lonely? Aw...he's so cute! He can play with us, right? Don't be stupid...we can't have a cat...She never said we'd keep him, let's just play with him. Oh! Oh! What are we going to call him? Fleabag. Don't be like that! Let's see...he has some green on him...I know! Let's call him Apple! That's stupid, he's black! I think it's a great name! Do you like it, Apple?"

* * *

Days passed by like water trickling across a desert wasteland, meager and meaningless in the big picture. Uka sighed and watched his own breath pass him by, drifting on a cloud of budding depression that never quite came. The long-term educator turned vagabond stood in solemn distance amidst the passersby. Somehow, he managed to avoid rough shoulders and stomping feet, barely able to see the world for the city.

Shaking away dismal daydreams, he marched onward, a looming foggy vision drawing him onward. There, in the distance, his mark grew larger with every step. Townsville Elementary Academy, a private establishment for tutoring the more well off children of the city. On the weekends, it was a lifeless construct of mortar and misery. Through the week, it was more of a safe haven, holding Uka Mako's last remaining treasure, the last reminder of his once favorite pupil. Once favorite pupil because someone else had taken that place in his heart, a pupil who never sat in his own classroom.

Uka shoved his hands into his pockets, raising an eyebrow and glancing up at the nearest clock. He'd come far too early, though he had been in the neighborhood. Classes wouldn't end for another hour and a half. Uka sighed and glanced around the street, once more drifting into a mindless daze. There, at the end of the sidewalk, was an old woman about to walk blindly into traffic. Uka simply watched, unmoved as she screamed, nearly run over by a runaway taxi cab.

"Hey, buddy, I want a word with you," The air moved faster than he did. Uka turned through a vacuum, studying the voice long before he ever laid eyes on its owner. When he finally found him, he'd already identified the man by poor past experience alone.

"Officer Brokowski," He muttered, glaring at the overweight cop. Coincidentally, it seemed Brokowski was off duty, he was dressed in a slobbish white tank top and too tight blue jeans. He still managed to cram a donut between his greasy, fat fingers. Some things stayed the same on the job and off.

"Yeah, you're that Ooker fellow, right?" Uka narrowed his eyes, though he couldn't focus on the little man. His attention drifted back to the school. Minutes slipped by and lost reason.

"It is pronounced, Uka, Officer,"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. What are you doin' stalkin' that kid, Ooker?" Something in his voice, it worked like a switch to slow things down. Uka turned back to Brokowski and mustered a real, true glare. He hadn't felt this kind of sensation in days.

"Uka, Officer. And I am not spying, I am merely interested in Blossom-chan's well-being. Is that so wrong for the man who saved her life?" Brokowski wiped his runny nose with the back of his meaty arm, glaring through squinted eyes. Uka found him as intimidating as a pug.

"Yeah, around these parts, we call a grown man hangin' around a school yard a pedophile. You got a reason to be here, buddy?" Uka crossed his arms, drifting in thought and sight back to the school yard. Sakura-chan was, surely, somewhere inside. Around this time, she was in math, actually. Advanced algebra, third row, fourth from the window, in front of Anabelle Di'Mico. Blossom wasn't fond of Anabelle; the feeling, she felt, was mutual.

"I merely wanted to check on Blossom-chan. She enjoys my companionship," Brokowski snorted and took a crummy bite of his donut.

"Why don't you just move along, before I call the guys down at the station," Something inside snapped and the once slow-motion world he merely drifted through erupted in red haze and heat. Uka turned to Brokowski and, without thinking, took a dangerous step closer.

"Are you threatening me, Officer?" Brokowski struggled to swallow his mouthful, but kept the remnants of his glare in place.

"I know you ain't innocent, Ooker, and I'm gonna prove it. So why don't you stay away from Miss Utonium?" Uka narrowed his eyes. In the background, an ambulance was rushing to the aid of the old woman, who had been hit by an ice cream truck. The driver was unconscious, blood running down his forehead. There was a street gang cackling like mad watching the whole scene.

"I will do what makes her happy, Officer," Brokowski snorted and turned on his heel. But even as he walked away, he kept his eyes on Uka. He showed no sign of enjoying, let alone really noticing, his quickly consumed donut.

Uka shoved his fists into his pockets and glanced back at the school. Maybe it was best if they didn't meet so soon. Shaking his head, Uka made his way down the sidewalk, passed the growing catastrophe on third street. Another wreck, three more injuries. The gang was in tears, laughing themselves insane.

People rushed by like blurs; phantasms flying on the wind with no detail or definition. Amorphous shapes, buildings, poles, vehicles, rushed by with equal impatience, swirling around Uka in a cacophony of sights unseen and sounds unheard. He lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, glancing up as the tugging in his chest wore off. Good news, the headache he thought was coming had gone away. Odd news...he found himself outside the bar Tom had dragged him to several days before.

"_A drink may clear my mind..._" He mused. Partially, he just wanted an excuse to get off the streets. Maybe, in some small way, he was hoping to run into Tom again. The frustrating little fairy had a way of making him hate life more. Hate was an intoxicating emotion, frequently preferable to its slothful counterpart—apathy.

The noise inside, and make no mistake, it was noise and nothing more, blasted and boomed in rhythm with the gyrating forms on the dance floor. So early in the day, and already men in tight pants and short skirts were throwing themselves at each other shamelessly. Few, admittedly, compared to the night crowd, but Uka judged them just the same. Pathetic, loveless vagrants with nothing better to do than hope some other trash would buy them a sweet elixir to make the city slow down.

"Oh my! I never expected to see you again soon, Mako!" Uka ground his teeth and took a seat at the bar. The green-haired boy behind the counter swallowed nervously, hands hovering over a shot glass and bottle of whiskey. Uka nodded, rolling his eyes when a lithe arm wrapped around his shoulders and a pair of black painted lips brushed disgustingly close to his ear.

"You just couldn't stay away, hmm? That makes four times in four days, Mako. I think someone is...jonesing," Uka gave Tom Nigelo a sideways glance and nothing more. A lack of response bruised the fruit more than any beating—verbal or otherwise. Tom frowned and sank into his bar stool, tapping his fingers on the polished oak bar, drifting closer and closer to Uka's clenched fists.

"So what seems to be the problem? You never call, you never write...you only show up when you're angry! Oh how I wish I could see some other expression on your handsome face," Uka's scowl deepened. He nodded at the bartender, who blushed and slipped away in a hurry. Without hesitating, Uka shot back the first glass of whiskey, coughing slightly and wincing. Tom glowered and touched Uka's arm, ordering him another shot.

"You can talk to me, you know? We're not so different you and I...you remember? I said that before! You remember, don't you?" Uka nodded against his better judgment, shooting down the second shot as quickly as the first.

"Perhaps you are correct. Though the thought frightens me, to think I've fallen so low," Tom nodded, then paused and considered what Uka had said. By the time he got angry, Uka had downed another shot, and was staring into the fourth. Was it so bad that he desired to be with her? Was it truly so harmful that their lives be intertwined?

"_She lost everything because of me..._" He muttered. He groaned and pinched his nose, swirling his new glass of whiskey. With a sideways glance at Tom, he shot it back and coughed. Tom sighed and touched Uka's arm lightly.

"Uka, you should just forget about that little runt...c'mon, why don't you dance with me?" Uka slammed his glass back on the bar, startling those around him. Tom scarcely flinched; he refused to get rid of that irritating smirk.

"_I will do no such thing!_" Tom chuckled and patted Uka's cheek, a mocking glimmer in his eyes.

"Mako, dear, you're speaking gibberish," He chided, clicking his tongue. Uka threw his last shot back and hurled the glass across the room. His head was swimming, trying to keep up with the room swirling around him. Just how long had he been here? He snarled and shoved Tom back, making a staggering bee-line for the door.

"_I need to see her, she needs to see me!" _He muttered, shoving a pasty-skinned teenager out of his way. The early evening air hit him like a sledgehammer. Staggering, but growing stronger somehow, Uka marched down the sidewalk, shoving anyone who crossed his path aside. This kind of single-minded determination, it was intoxicating. It was empowering. It made the world move faster than should ever have been possible. Even traveling by foot, street signs rushed by. The massive buildings and bumbling townsfolk rush by, the latter stumbling to avoid him.

Uka staggered up the stairs to the Johenson house, grabbing the banister to steady himself. He wasn't that drunk, so why did his legs feel so awkward? The moment passed, but it still took a steady effort to get to the door. When he knocked, he hit much harder than he intended to. Whatever strength he'd recovered, he wasn't used to it just yet.

"What?" The rude little boy who threw open the door stared up at Uka with big, frightened eyes. He quickly hid his fear behind a mask of defiance and glared at the dizzy teacher. "What do you want?" Uka glowered and grabbed the door frame, digging his fingers into the wood paneling. The little boy stared and took a nervous step back.

"D-Dad! Door!" The little boy, Brock was it? Regardless, he ran off, and was quickly replaced by his equally irate father. Joey stared up at Uka, who tired to glare back. Uka cleared his throat and stood up straight, sighing in relief when the ground didn't move under his feet.

"Is Blossom home? I came by to check on her,"

"She is fine, she has no use for you," Joey replied with a snap. Uka narrowed his eyes and tried to peer around Joey. He heard feet shuffling and managed to peek up the stairs. He swore he could see a pair of eyes staring back. Joey stepped outside and shut the door behind him. Uka grunted and stared down at the miserable little man.

"I wish to see her," He repeated.

"And I told you, she has no use for you. Why do you still bother her? Haven't you caused her enough harm?" Uka felt a strange heat flying to his face. His fists clenched and a hazy voice in the back of his mind whispered dangerous ideas in his ear.

"She needs to see me," Joey narrowed his eyes. Aggression became outright hostility. He crossed his arms, sniffing the air. Uka's lips twitched.

"Get away from my home, and stay away from my goddaughter," Uka clenched his fists, preparing to force his way inside. Reclaiming his better reasoning, he turned on his heel, moving faster than he should have, and marched away. Ignorant little bastard; miserable little man. Who was he to keep Uka Mako away from his Sakura-chan? She needed him, she'd said as much over the past few days.

The shadows melded into the dull streetlights. The buildings spiraled higher and higher into the darkening night sky. How had time gotten away so quickly? The cityscape rushed by, but the giants towering through its concrete halls moved in slow motion. And deeper still the dark bent around the light. Bent around the...light...

"Aww! Look! He found us! He found us! Ugh...stupid mangy fleabag. Get away from it! You'll get sick or something. Don't be like that, I think he was looking for us, weren't you, Apple? Hehehe! He licked me! Pretty kitty, kitty! I guess...he's pretty cool...he looks like a punk. Ha, ha. He's not a punk...he's a good kitty, aren't you? Yes he is! Apple! Apple! Apple! I looove you! I looove you! You should let him go, we need to hurry...it's getting colder. Ugh, don't be such a baby, it's just the dark. I don't like the dark...bye, bye, Apple...I'll miss you..."

Uka looked up from the television. The news was blaring a little too loud, repeating the same deary message of doom and gloom fast approaching. Somewhere in New York a grandmother was mauled by a dog. Across the country, in L.A., a teenager died in a seven car pile up.

There it was again, another knock at the door. Uka grunted and climbed to his feet, walking through the dark, peeking through the peep hole. Who could be visiting at this late hour?

"Blossom?" He muttered, opening the door and staring in pleasant surprise at the little girl just beyond the threshold. Blossom nodded and offered him a shaky smile. Uka crossed his arms and inspected the child. No harm, no signs of distress, and yet...here she was at nine in the evening to visit him...alone no less. Had she followed him this far?

"Hi...M-Mr. Uk-ka," she whispered. Uka tapped his finger against his arm, staring at the little girl. Why would she be here now?

"Blossom is something troubling you?" Blossom started to shake her head...but the action tapered off quickly. She slowly lowered her eyes and nodded slightly. Uka pursed his lips and gazed around the hallway. She was alone.

"Would you like to come in?" Blossom glanced up at him, tears sparkling in her bright pink eyes. How long had she been crying, he wondered. She nodded; he stepped aside and ushered her in. He hadn't noticed until just now how cold it was outside...and how nice it felt to see her again.

* * *

That was three weeks ago. Nearly every other night since then...there came a knock on his door around nine and there she was. Always bursting with joy to see him, always softly crying until he opened the door. Even when he moved out of his overextended residence at the Hilton Hotel and into a modest sized apartment in downtown Townsville...she came like clockwork. There were some nights Uka waited in nervous anticipation...wondering if this night would be the night she stopped coming. Others, he wished she wouldn't.

The nights grew longer; sleep still refused to even touch his eyes. Just as Blossom had become a welcome visitor in the night...another had taken it upon himself to inflict his company upon Uka. It was on one of those nights that things took a turn for the strange. Uka looked up, away from the rambling fairy sitting on his couch. There it was again, the tell-tale chatter at the other side of his door.

"Uncle Joey will be mad if he finds out. He won't find out unless someone tells him, Dummy! Don't talk to her like that, she won't tell, will you? Of course not...I don't want you to be sad again. I'm...I'm not...You're blushing. I am? Yeah, it's okay...hey I think he's coming! Good luck!"

Uka pulled the door open, forcing a smile. She wiped her eyes and beamed up at him. Before either could speak a greeting, an unwanted third wheel forced his way between them. Blossom gasped and nearly tripped over her feet backpedaling when Tom came around the corner.

"Why hello there! You must be that bothersome little angel Mako was telling me about! Bosom, wasn't it?" Blossom's mouth opened and closed uselessly. Uka noticed her grip tighten on her Hello Kitty backpack. Her lips were trembling.

"That's enough, Nigelo-san, please, step aside," Tom smirked and crossed his arms, still sizing Blossom up. She swallowed nervously, too afraid to take a step toward the doorway.

"Oh well...I suppose if she must ruin our evening then she must ruin our evening," Blossom frowned. She started to turn, but Uka stopped her.

"Sakura-chan...ignore him, please come inside," Blossom, the poor thing, tried to say something. Again, her words failed her. Thankfully, she accepted Uka's offered hand and let him lead her inside. She started to make a staggered path for the couch, but froze when she saw Tom, legs crossed, sprawled across the tacky piece of furniture. She glanced up at Uka, who was glaring daggers at Tom.

"Nigelo-san...move," Tom pouted, but moved, sitting at the far end of the couch. Blossom grabbed Uka's pant leg, subtly shaking her head. Uka sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, nodding toward his recliner. Blossom shuffled over to the seat, jumping when Tom crossed his legs as she passed. He smiled in an overly sweet, terribly sarcastic way.

"_I'll return with something to drink,"_ Blossom nodded, but Tom groaned and glared at Uka's retreating form.

"You shouldn't do that, Mako! You know I don't speak gobbledygook!" Uka shook his head. Who did this man think he was? He came uninvited, refused to leave when asked, or told, and worst of all...went out of his way to harass his Sakura-chan. Uka glanced back, narrowing his eyes.

"So I hear you don't speak much...it's alright, Mako is so very good with the developmentally challenged," Blossom swallowed and glanced back at Uka. There were tears sparkling in her eyes. He growled and opened the refrigerator. Before he could grab any drinks, a slim arm wrapped around his shoulders and a hot breathy voice spoke in his ear.

"Oh don't be so stuffy! Go play with your girlfriend while I make our drinks, hmm? I'd hate for her to miss her bed time!" Uka roughly pulled away from Tom, but didn't argue, though there were many things to argue. He sighed and sat down on the sofa. Blossom glanced back at the kitchen, then practically ran over to Uka, grabbing hand as she plopped down beside him.

"_I d-d-don't l-like h-him,"_ She whispered. She stumbled over words, started and stopped...but the message was clear. He couldn't blame her. Even now, he didn't like Tom; owing him his life only went so far in extending his pleasantries. This bordered on unforgivable.

"Here we are! I hope you don't mind, Sweetheart, but since you're such a dainty little thing I gave you some sodey pop, drink up, Little One!" Blossom jumped, tenderly accepting the glass thrust in her face. Tom beamed, sitting on the edge of the couch and handing Uka a harder beverage. Uka gave the odd younger man a sideways glance, then took a swig from his bottle. Tom's eyes never left Blossom—his smile didn't so much as flinch. She stared at her soda and took a small sip. Tom grinned and retreated to the recliner, taking a long drink from a—already half empty, Uka noted—wine bottle.

"So Deary...why are you here anyway? Hmm? Don't you have some little stuffed animals to be playing with? You're in, what, kindergarten?"

"She is in the first grade, Nigelo-san...and despite the upset in her home life has maintained the highest marks in her grade level," Tom pouted and took another long drink. He stared intently at Blossom. She took another sip of her soda and winced.

"Is something wrong, Blossom?" Blossom shook her head, giving Uka a small smile.

"N-N-N-N...N-N-N..." Tom rolled his eyes and drained the last of the wine, getting up and heading for the kitchen.

"Good lord, Heaven pray she never takes speech lest her precious GPA suffer gloriously!" Blossom turned bright red and lowered her eyes. She buried herself in her glass of soda, while Tom went about ransacking Uka's refrigerator once more. Uka glowered and sipped his own drink.

"Nigelo-san, I'd appreciate it if you didn't steal all of my alcohol," Tom sat down on Uka's lap, alcohol thick on his breath. He was into another bottle.

"Oh come now, Makoko! I'm just a little thirsty! And after all, I do think you owe me for helping you babysit!" He tittered in a sing-song voice, ruffling Blossom's hair and flipping on the television. Blossom nearly choked on her soda when Tom plopped down next to her.

"Now why don't we watch some nice family entertainment, hm? Here we are!" Uka's eyes widened. He cast his harshest glare at Tom while a video he most certainly had never owned started playing. Blossom's face, if possible, got even redder, watching the two men writhing on the set. Uka snatched her nearly empty glass before it could slide out of her hands.

"Nigelo-san, this is unacceptable," Tom giggled wildly, blushing bright pink.

"Oh Ma Cocoa! You have no imagination! Why, I'm sure the precious little angel is loving this fascinating display of the erotic male figure! Especially as he plunges himself deep into the even more erotic male figure spread across his counter top! Oh don't look at me like that," If looks could kill, Uka's would have vaporized half of Townsville. Blossom simply stared at the screen, covering her mouth.

"That's enough!" Uka snatched the remote and turned off the television. Had Tom planned this all along? Perhaps he intended to use this trash to entice him? The nerve...to think Mako Uka could be bought with some cheap pornography. He gently touched Blossom's shoulder. She jumped and looked up at him. Red like a tomato, she swallowed nervously and buried her face in her hands.

"I...d-d-d-don't...d-don't w-wan...wh-what..." Uka shook his head, cutting off her stuttering reply. Tom giggled and drained the second bottle of wine. He started to head for another, but Uka grabbed his arm roughly. What was this...building pressure in the back of his skull? His eyes felt ready to burst...his blood was racing painfully. Tom Nigelo had crossed a line, trying to intimidate his guest, his Sakura-chan. What could he hope to gain?

"Nigelo-san..._this is unforgivable," _Tom pressed his fingers against Uka's lips, winking and shushing him. Tom snatched Uka's own drink and took a long swig, coughing when he finished.

"Oh Mako, Mako, Mako...don't speak crazy talk, I don't like it..." He giggled, taking Blossom's cup away from Uka, "Our dear little guest needs more sugar water, Makoko! I'll be right back!" Uka pinched the bridge of his nose, dropping back into his seat on the couch. Blossom yawned and hugged him, nuzzling his arm. Uka blinked in surprise. While it wasn't rare for her to embrace him...something in the way she moaned happily and continued to snuggle closer was different. This all felt...unreal, like some kind of strange dream. Uka rubbed his head, wondering if at long last he'd been able to drift off to sleep?

"_I d-don't...I d-don't l-like h-him..._" She whispered again. Uka nodded. Quickly, Tom Nigelo had fallen out of any favor Uka once owed him. He'd overstayed his welcome, in his house, and in his life.

"_I will ask him to leave,"_ Blossom grinned and kissed Uka's arm. He paused again. The two adults nearly collided as Tom came stumbling out of the kitchen. There was another empty bottle strewn across the floor. Uka snatched Blossom's soda, handing it over to her before jerking Tom toward the door.

"What's this? Have you voted to kick me out of your little party? Oh boo! Boo on you both! What could this annoying little parasite possibly have to offer that I don't? Look at me, Mako! I am more man than you've ever had!" Uka rolled his eyes, pulling open the door and directing Tom out.

"_I have no desire for a man like you," _Tom growled—not his typical angry pout, but a near feral snarl—and startled Uka for a moment.

"You need me, Mako...oh you need me more than you could ever know, you sad, sick old man," Uka glared, leaning close to Tom, so that only they could hear.

"_Goodnight, Nigelo-san,"_ And with that, he slammed the door, bolting it to bar the clawing fairy's entrance. Tom gave a small scream of frustration and stomped away. Uka sighed and rubbed his head. He stopped by the television, ejecting Tom's god-awful video and tossing it into the trash.

"I apologize Blossom-chan, I did not intend for him to meet you," He turned around, only to have Blossom throw her arms around him again. He winced and rubbed her head with concern. She merely smiled up at him, flushed and smiling a little too much.

"Blossom-chan..._are you alright?_" Blossom giggled and hugged him tighter, nodding.

"I'm ok-k-kay...I feel h-h-happy...w-w-will you h-hug me?" Uka shrugged and knelt down, giving the tiny little thing a tight hug. Blossom sighed and buried her face in his neck. Uka took that opportunity to carry her back to the couch. As opposed to her usual routine, Blossom stayed on his lap, taking heavy, deep breaths. Uka pulled back and stared at her. She stared back with a bubbly smile, rocking side to side slightly. It hit him like a brick the moment she leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"_B-Bl-Blossom-chan...what did he put in your drink?"_ Blossom shrugged and gave him another kiss on the cheek, hugging him again. She was rubbing against him, like she was...mimicking the earlier parts of that god awful video.

"I d-do-don't kn-know...it tasted f-funny b-bu-but...I-I'm not s-s-so sc-scared n-now," Uka swallowed, trying to stop himself. The shadows were dancing in the corners. The lights seemed dimmed, had he had too much to drink himself?

"Blossom-chan, this is not appropriate," Blossom kissed his neck, gently petting his hair. He cringed, feeling his heart start to pound. His hand trailed down her back, stroking her long red hair...so silky soft, it couldn't be real. This had to be some kind of nightmare. He took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her. Blossom pressed her body against his, moaning and kissing his cheek.

"I d-d-d...I d-d-d-d...I j-j-just...I w-w-want t-to...t-to b-be" she licked her lips and sat back, panting. She was flushed bright pink. She had no idea what she was doing, she couldn't have any idea. It was just childish imitation. Why then was his blood rushing? Blossom gently touched his face. He couldn't help cupping her cheek, stroking it tenderly with his thumb, "...C-C-Ca-can I b-be y-y-your...g-g-g...your g-g-g...g-g-g-g..?" Uka licked his lips. His idle hand stroked her hair, lovingly rolling it between his fingers. Every brush of his fingertips against her back made her gasp and shudder. Every breath she took made his heart race.

"_It would be wrong...Blossom-chan,"_ She shook her head and cupped his cheeks with her tiny hands. Leaning forward, she fearlessly kissed his lips, staying just inches away, breathing against his mouth.

"I d-d...I d-d-d...I d-d-don't w-w-want t-to...t-to-to...to l-l-l-lo-lose y-y-you t-t-to h-h-him..." He shook his head, peering at her precious, beautiful face through half-lidded eyes. How could he have never noticed before how utterly perfect she was? How could he have never understood why...why he needed her so close.

"Bl-Blossom-ch..." She hushed him with another kiss. She ground her hips against his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed softly into his ear.

"I h-hate it wh-when you d-don't c-call me Sakura-ch-chan..." It was an irresistible force; he was no immovable object. He pressed his lips against Blossom's, wrapping his strong arms around her tiny body. She moaned, hesitating when she felt his tongue against her lips. That moment of hesitation was the last one.

The shadows shifted and bent around them. The lights dimmed, or perhaps simply became less important. Blossom pulled away, gasping for air. When she returned, her own little tongue slipped into his mouth. He greedily sucked on her lips, massaging her tongue with his.

Heat rose, sweat trickled down his brow. Blossom shifted uneasily on his lap. His hand slipped under her shirt, fingernails trailing gently across her back. She shivered; it was easy enough to heft her into his arms. Laid back, spread for his hungry touch. Sweat streaked her face; hot pink eyes stared excitedly through a veil of tangled orange tresses. He kissed her cheek, then her neck. Blossom arched her back, and giggled when he suckled her neck.

"F-F-Feels...g-go-good..." she whispered, gasping when his hot fingers touched her bare belly. The room spun, the light and shadow mingled senselessly. Cold air grew heated and heavy. A tiny voice gasped when the two hit the mattress. He paused for a moment to take her in. Every gasping breath, every heave of her tiny chest, still so young...her eyes never left his. She'd given control over completely, expectantly, willingly and readily, waiting for his touch, waiting for him to make the pain stop. To...kiss it all better.

"_Sakura-chan..."_ He whispered. She smiled, sitting up on her elbows, leaning just close enough to kiss him once more. That was all the incentive he needed. Who was he to deny her the right to happiness? Who was he to deny his own selfish needs? The hot air grew hotter still; tangled clothes fell to the floor. Her eyes left his, if only to take in his throbbing member. Their lips touched again. Fearfully at first, she touched him. He groaned, brushing trembling fingers across her thighs. She shivered, falling back against the pillows.

"W-W-W-Wi-Will...W-Wi-will it h-h...h-hur...hurt?" He tenderly smiled, touching her lips at long last. She bit her lip and gripped the sheets.

"_At first..._" Blossom screwed her face up, tears welling up in her eyes. Her entire body shook. To be honest, even he was shaking. Now, touching, kissing...loving her, he realized just how long it had been since he'd felt anything at all. Suddenly, painful emotions: fear, desperation, affection and love, all welled up inside him. The room grew bleary. As she began to cry, so did he.

"_But...it's only at first..."_ Blossom cried out loud, quickly covering her mouth. He could see what she was trying to say. She was begging him to forgive her. Begging him to hear her apology. He touched her face, wiping away her tears. There was nothing to apologize for. The room grew hotter still.

The shadow split the light, again and again, piercing it just enough. The heat was unbearable, building up and bubbling at the surface. Sweat streaked the bed, mingling with the blood spilled on the sheets. She screamed again.

"_The pain will stop...I promise..." _His ears twitched, he tenderly pulled away from her. She whimpered and curled up, rubbing her thighs.

"I'm s-s-s-s-so...s-s-s-so...s-s-so-so-s-s..." She softly cried in his arms, burying her face in his chest. He held her tighter, his ears twitching again. He swallowed and closed his eyes, nuzzling her hair. Blossom gently planted a kiss on his lips.

"M...M...M-Mr...U-Uk-k-ka...I l-l...I l-l-l...I lo-lo...I lo-lo-love y-y-y...I l-love y-you..." She opened her eyes and peered up at him, gasping. Trembling, she reached out and stroked his ears between her fingers. He flinched, but couldn't resist the urge to smile. His tail wrapped around her waist as he kissed her again.

"_I love you too, Sakura-chan,"_

* * *

The streets of Townsville, long after the sun had gone down, were no place for a small child. Much less, a child this precious. And still, Uka stood at the doorway, wishing there was some other way to ensure she reached home safely.

"It is not safe for you," He muttered. Blossom smiled and grabbed his hand. He smiled and knelt down, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"If s-someone s-sees me w-with you, y-y-you'll get in b-b-big tr-trouble," He nodded, chuckling softly when she flew into his arms, giving him a crushing hug. Perhaps it would not be so bad, were it not for her uncle being a famous zoologist. Even her aunt, Sara Johenson, was the mayor's aid. People in Townsville would recognize her, and their meetings would get back to Joey. After all, Blossom managed to reach his apartment several nights of the week. She knew how to stay safe. She was a bright little girl.

"I'm aware, child. That doesn't mean I have to enjoy these goodbyes," Blossom giggled and kissed his nose.

"It's n-not g-goodbye, Uk-ka-san. It's j-just g-goodnight," Her stuttering had gotten better. After that...strange night four nights ago, it was starting to improve at a remarkable rate. He couldn't help swelling with pride.

"That is true..._good night, Sakura-chan_," She blushed and hugged him again. As she kissed him one last time, she whispered in his ear.

"_Goodnight, Uka-san,"_ Not even a stutter. He watched her until she disappeared down the stairs. His smile immediately faded and the night suddenly felt heavier. He stumbled back into his apartment and dropped into their favorite arm chair. The television was on, flickering some late night comedy program. Blossom had enjoyed it...he found it asinine but seeing her smile was worth the frustration. Uka sighed and closed his eyes.

Of course, no sleep came. Sleep seemed like a long forgotten luxury. Or perhaps, it had been an overrated inconvenience? It was astonishing just how long each day felt when one spent none of it trapped in unconsciousness. Amazing to see how long his body could run without recharging. Oh, he ate. Yes, Mako Uka ate more now than he ever had before. But that could only do so much. Nearly two months now, without a wink of sleep.

It was unnatural...impossible. Uka sighed and rolled his head back, staring up at the ceiling. So this was how he was destined to spend his retirement? Trapped in never-ending wakefulness, waiting out every day for his Sakura-chan to come to him, and spending every night hoping she made it home safely? Uka pinched the bridge of his nose and clenched his eyes shut.

Dim light, cast by dim lamps, danced with the shadows on the walls. The shadows bent and shifted, moving around the light. Twisted, shifting forms moved to some unspoken rhythm. While the night air outside grew colder still, the shadows danced, bending around the light. Bending...around...the light...

"I'm scared...Sh-shut up baby! It's just the dark...Yeah but I don't like it! And it's really cold...can we go back to Mr. Uka's house? No, we can't. We have to get home before Uncle Joey finds out we're gone. Hey! You're blushing! You like Mr. Uka! Sh-shut up! Of...of course I like him...he's my boyfriend...Hahaha! You're such a dweeb. H-hey...what's going on? Do...do you hear that?"

"Hey there little girl, Blossom Utonium, right? Listen, I'm a cop, I'm here to take you home,"

"I-I-I...I...I...g-g-g-g...I'm g-g-g-g..."

"Relax, I know where you been, kid. Don't worry, we'll take care of that sicko,"

"N-n-n-!"

**I looked down...I could see Sakura-chan, backing away from a fat man. She was scared. Suddenly, something fell. I looked up and saw others approaching. They were trouble.**

"Hey, listen you punks, back off, or I'll be forced to take you in to custody,"

"Heh...think we're afraid of you, old man? You're on our turf. Hey there, Little Girl, why don't you ditch grandpa here and come have a good time with us, eh?"

"Now look here! You leave that kid alone!"

"Move it, Fat Ass,"

** One of the men shoved the fat man. Sakura-chan was crying. She tried to back away from the alley, but was blocked by another thug. I growled...my tail swished back and forth. They would pay if they touched her. Sakura-chan whimpered, flinching away when the grimy lady tried to touch her.**

"What's wrong doll face? I don't bite too hard, you'll like it,"

"That's enough!"

"No, Fat Man, that's enough out of you,"

**Sakura-chan screamed when the gun fired. The fat man fell to the ground, holding his leg. The leader, he kicked him and started to advance on Sakura-chan. I snarled and lost control, I dove at them, landing between them and my Sakura-chan.**

"What the fuck? Is that a cat?"

"Aw, that's adorable, it's trying to protect her,"

"Move it fleabag,"

"A...A...Ap-p-p...Apple?"

**I hissed, arching my back. Something inside was getting hotter. I felt the darkness growing, the shadows embracing me. The thugs, they laughed and started to advance on me. I snarled and lunged at the first one. I knocked him aside like a rag doll. One of them screamed, I couldn't tell which. They were all the same to me: they were all walking corpses.**

"What the fuck, man? What the fuck! It's a fucking monster!"

"Where the hell did that cat go?"

"You fucking idiot! That is the cat!"

"Fuck, shoot it! Shoot it!"

**The bullets sank into my skin, but my feral roar was one of hatred and anger, not of pain. My paw was bigger than the leader's head. He made a satisfying snap when he hit the wall. I spun and sliced open the woman's stomach. Lifeblood spilled out, staining the streets. Seeing it, I started to salivate. I started to feel the hatred take me over. I couldn't wait any longer.**

"Run! That fucking thing is going to kill us!"

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

**He wanted to get away, but I wasn't going to let him. I tore through his leg, devouring it in a single bite. His blood spilled over my face; my teeth ripped apart his chest. I crushed his head beneath my paw. Bullets sprayed my back, I turned, narrowing my eyes and snarling.**

"St-Stay fu-fucking...st-stay awa-way...oh, God. I'm going to die...I'm going to die! Don't kill me! Get away, please!"

**The bastard didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve my mercy. He could cry all he wanted; but when my paw shattered his jaw, and tore open his cheek, he realized what I knew. I had no mercy to beg for. I caught him in my teeth and smashed him against the ground, again, again, and again. Finally, I let his rag doll form lay in a growing pool of flesh and blood, and turned my eyes on the last. He stood paralyzed, staring in horror.**

"Please...don't...I l-le-let the k-k-kid g-go...pl-please..."

**He had touched her. He had laid his filthy hands on my precious Sakura-chan. He would suffer, yes, he would. I lunged; he screamed. His screams grew louder, becoming blood-curdling shrieks. Lights flicked on in windows, doors opened and people flooded the streets. They all froze, staring in horror as I tore him apart.**

"SOMEONE! HELP ME! PLE-FUCK! PLEFUCKING HELP! HELP!"

**No one came to his aid. They turned and ran. They fled into their homes to pretend it was a nightmare. To pretend it had never happened. But he knew. Though his body was a stringy mess of flesh and entrails, he knew it was real. Finally, I crushed his head beneath my paw, ending his miserable, worthless life.**

"What...fucking monster...stay back, kid...I'll get it..."

"A-Apple!"

**I only knew the bullet hit me because I heard the gun go off. Without a second thought, I turned on the fat man like the others. He screamed, but only for a moment. True, he'd tried to help her. But he'd tried to take her away from me. He deserved no better than they deserved. I nearly took his entire fat head off in a single bite. My rage quelled, I turned to her...to my precious Sakura-chan.**

"A-Ap-App-App-Apple..."

**I stalked toward her, the shadows bending around the light. I rubbed against her legs, letting her pull me into her arms. She hugged me tightly and began crying. I mewed softly, licking her cheek. She was smiling...she was smiling and blushing.**

"I-It's y-y-you...I-I-It's r-r-r-really y-yo-yo-you..."

**I licked her cheek and nuzzled her neck. She hugged me tighter still. She needed to go home. I started to pull away, but she refused to let me go. I looked up again to find she was crying. I mewed softly.**

"D-D-D-D-D-Don't...d-d-don't l-l-leave m-m-me..."

**I had no intention of leaving her, ever. A second near death experience, so soon after the first. I mewed and slid out of her lap. I motioned for her to follow, but noticed she wasn't moving. Growling softly, I hefted her onto my back and sauntered off into the night, heading for home.**

** She was asleep before we reached the front door.**

* * *

Uka sat in his arm chair, gently stroking Blossom's long, red hair. She snored softly, snuggling closer and smiling when he rubbed her back. Uka smiled, but it turned to a grim expression as he turned his attention back to the silent news report.

Another massacre the night before. A police officer was dead. Eye-witness reports blamed it on some kind of monster. Uka narrowed his eyes. Before...he'd experienced total black outs. He didn't drift off to sleep, he simply forgot moments of the day. He was offered no such luxury this time. Blossom had been attacked, and he had followed her...in the form of a small cat. Her friend, Apple.

When those goons cornered her, he became something far, far worse. A bloodthirsty, powerful, demonic lion. He'd torn them apart, leaving little behind for the coroner to identify them by. Even the officer, Brokowski, had suffered a malicious attack. And now, staring at his handiwork, he felt no remorse. No sudden sense of "A monster am I" nor any feeling of loss of control.

No, now everything suddenly made sense. Those gang members...the five teens who had been massacred beyond recognition. Why did they seem so familiar?

"_I killed them,_" he whispered, focusing in on the memory...now crystal clear.

* * *

"Hey, hey, hey! Where you goin' so fast, pops?" The boy in the middle taunted, shoving Uka back. His back hit the side of a building, a jewelry store if memory served. Uka looked up, his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched violently. The boys had to be in high school. They were sickly pale, with greasy black hair, the lot of them. The two in front were tall, but the one in the back, he was a mountain of a kid. The other two were younger. One looked Hispanic, the other looked mentally challenged. He narrowed his eyes into nothing more than dangerous slits.

"Wow, look at that boys...he don't look too good, does he?" The leader said with a chuckle. The one to his right, the other tall boy, snickered and took a step closer to Uka.

"Hehehe, yeah, Boss. Looks like this little Chink got lost," The leader rolled his eyes and punched him in the shoulder. The boy hissed and the two traded a glare. The little Hispanic boy giggled and elbowed the leader.

"He's gonna get hurt, isn't he, Boss? We're gonna screw him up nice, yeah?" The leader put his hands in his pockets and grinned at Uka. He took a dangerous step forward.

"That depends on if Pops here is willing to give us all his money," Uka snarled and held himself up with the building. His knees were trembling, his skin was starting to heat up. The boys started laughing, misinterpreting his actions. Uka narrowed his eyes.

The shadows wrapped around the streetlights and danced a dangerous duet. The moon itself seemed to grow darker, and the night air grew even colder. Uka's skin grew hotter still. The shadows were no longer bending around the light. They were bending around Mako Uka. The leader's clammy hand latched onto Uka's shoulder. Uka's eyes snapped open.

Before the kid could retract his hand, Uka snatched his wrist and crushed it in his bare hand. The boy screamed, stumbling back. They were terrified. Uka wasted no time; now, in a much more powerful form, he advanced on them, throwing the leader across the street with one swing of his claws.

"Holy shit, man! Boss!" The little Hispanic boy cried, making a run for the older boy. Uka's claws shot out, morphing into a cerated tendril that slit the little boys face open. He crumpled to the ground, his screams muffled as the tendril came down on him over and over again, beating his face in until it collapsed. Uka was on him in an instant, picking him up by his neck. He wasn't breathing; Uka made sure he never would again, crushing his throat.

They were running, the leader was limping, but they were trying to escape. Uka growled and lunged forward. Fire erupted inside him and the lights nearby shattered. His body transformed, morphed into a massive feral cat. Before they reached the end of the street, he reached them. His claws tore open the giant boy's back. At the same time, he swung his other paw and sent the mentally challenged teen into a car, shattering the door and toppling it over. Uka reverted to his true form, snatching the last two boys by the backs of their necks, his claws tearing into their flesh as he lifted them from the ground.

"Yo, Pops! We're sorry! Real sorry, just let us go!"

"Y-Yeah! C'mon, Pops!" Uka snarled and narrowed his eyes. They didn't deserve to leave. The hatred bubbling inside him had chosen them to sate its hunger. He dropped them to the ground, only to begin changing once more. The air heated up and the light from the moon waned yet again. The boys backed away, cowering beside the bleeding giant.

Mako Uka's arms stretched, his claws grew and transformed. His neck grew longer, his mouth grew into a snout. As his wings burst from his back, and his tail smashed into the ground, he roared, breathing fire into the air. The teens stared in horror at the fiery eyes gazing down on them.

"_**Now, you will suffer,"**_He roared again, breathing a wall of fire across the street. While they screamed, he tore through the flames, his massive claws ripping the giant boy's arm off when he tried to protect the others. He came down on him like a demon, tearing into his flesh and devouring his pudgy face. The dragon's footsteps shook the entire city, but no one dared to look outside their windows. The snake-like boy's hissing scream became a gurgle, his throat slit and his chest bit open. Uka's fangs sank deeper into his waist, and with one fierce tug, he tore him in half. Now, only two remained.

"Please...please...please don't..." Uka snorted, blowing fire right in the kid's face. He fell back, covering his burning eyes. He tried to scream, wanted to scream, but when Uka's tail hit his chest, his lungs collapsed. Uka pinned him to the ground and growled. There was no moment of hesitation. Only antici...pation.

He tore into him, tearing flesh and bone like he'd never eaten before. Uka roared and breathed fire into the air, then returned to his new meal. His muscles tore easily, spraying blood across his powerful jaws. His bones were no match for his mighty fangs, they crumbled into dust with each bite. And the boy's face, the only part left, was twisted into a look of unbridled horror, a scream of unimaginable pain.

His claws retracted, his tail and wings pulled back into his body. Mako Uka observed his handiwork with an indifferent eye. Covered in blood, his black body glimmering in the black moonlight, he went to check on the one he had left. With a simple thrust of his hand, Uka toppled the toppled car and tore the door free. The last surviving member fell painfully to the ground. He slowly opened his eyes, staring into Uka's burning red eyes. Smoke rose from his eyebrows, and flames flickered in his mouth.

_**"Let this be a warning..."**_ The boy stared in confusion. That look was frozen forever on his face, burned quite literally into his corpse. Flames erupted from Uka's palm, incinerating the child, the car, the entire city street. Blood ran red across the street, pouring into the sewer drains. Flames danced across cars and decorative trees. Uka's form shimmered, then began to shrink. Arms retracting, legs shrinking, his face contorting...Mako Uka became, for the first time, his Sakura-chan's best friend: Apple and vanished into the night.

* * *

On this night, he had become a satanic lion. On that night, his form had been several. A demon, a lion, and finally a dragon. His sense of detachment and emptiness felt...alleviated. Something inside had clicked into place. But how did this newfound strength, this newfound identity, tie into the start of this all? What of the ghoul who had attacked him? What of James' mysterious rage? And what, now, of Sakura-chan's plight?

"Details are still sketchy, but reports coming in say that Joseph Johenson, a respected zoologist in the scientific community, and his wife Sara, the mayor's long-time aid, have both been murdered. Bodies for their three sons and goddaughter, Blossom Utonium, have yet to appear. It is assumed that they have been kidnapped," Joey was dead. Had Blossom gone home last night...would she have died too?

Uka held Blossom tighter. She sighed happily, still snoring away. He had no intention of waking her any time soon. So long as she was with him, she would be safe. The force that had tried to kill him seemed intent on killing her as well. First James, now Joey. Taking her to be with him...would that bring this charade full circle? Would the force at last target him again? Uka sighed and kissed her forehead. He wouldn't let that happen.

"_This power...I can use it to keep you safe, my Sakura-chan. Whatever this creature is...it will not take you from me,_" Strong words, but he'd never been more determined in his life. He'd never...felt more than he felt now. Oh yes, someone wanted to take her away. But they had no chance in Hell.

"Uh...mm...Wake up...Hey, wake up..." Uka blinked and looked down at the child in his arms. She was talking to herself...but it was the strangest thing. She was speaking in a higher pitch. It reminded him of someone...

"Blossom...wake up...it's morning...Yeah, come on, Red! Wake up!" He raised an eyebrow. Now she was speaking in a lower voice. She was sleep talking...and imitating her sisters. Blossom grumbled and curled up in his arms.

"Just a little longer...No, get up, I'm hungry!" Blossom groaned and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. Her fatigue vanished, replaced by confusion. She turned to stare at an amused Uka. A blush rose in her cheeks.

"...D-d-d...D-did...y-you...h-hear them?"

"...You were talking in your sleep. It seemed as though you were...imitating your sisters' voices," Blossom slowly nodded, laying her head on his chest.

"I...s-sometimes...U-Uka-s-san...d-do you th-think I'm cr-crazy?" Uka embraced her, resting his chin on her head. He carefully shut the television off. She didn't need the stress so soon.

"You are no such thing, child. You are a brilliant little girl," She giggled and hugged him. Then, she shivered and took a deep breath.

"Th-They...ar-aren't d-dead. M-my s-sisters," Uka blinked.

"You are certain?" Blossom nodded.

"Th-they...a-are living ins-s-side m-me. Th-they d-don't kn-know how b-but. It's...r-r-real. S-someti-times they t-talk t-to me," she whispered. He nodded. Somehow, this all made perfect sense.

"Their souls live inside you because you were triplets," Blossom pulled away and stared at him in amazement. She narrowed her eyes and looked away. Tentatively, she looked at him again.

"Really? H-H-How d-d..." She took a deep breath and pouted, "How...do...you...know...that?" she spoke very slowly, forcing her mouth to speak the words she meant to say. Uka smiled and patted her head. That was a very good question. He simply knew the answer. There was no hesitation, no pondering. He knew that this was the truth.

"I am not sure, but it is the truth," Blossom blushed and smiled. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tight as she could. He shivered when she whispered in his ear.

"Th-They...They both l-like y-you. A-And th-they're...th-they s-say th-thank you f-for sa-saving me," Uka gave her a soft kiss, setting her down in the chair as he stood up. He smiled, an honest smile.

"I shall prepare breakfast for you," Blossom nodded, then caught sight of the time. She gasped and jumped to her feet.

"Oh n-n-no! I-I-I-I'm g-g-g-go-go-go-going t-t-to b-b-b-b-be l...l-l-l...late!" Uka glanced at the clock. It was almost eight. He slowly shook his head, rubbing Blossom's shoulder as she sat down again. The look of confusion in her eyes tore into him.

"You will not be going to school...it is not safe," Blossom lowered her head. She licked her lips and watched him retreat to the kitchen.

"D-d-did...s-s-some...something b-bad ha-happen?" The waffle iron heated up quickly, the smell of fresh breakfast filling the air. While that cooked, the bacon on the skillet sizzled. Uka pursed his lips.

"Your uncle is dead, your cousins are missing. I will keep you here so that you are safe. No one will harm you as long as you are with me," Blossom gasped. Uka came in with her breakfast and set it on the coffee table. Blossom joined him on the couch, staring at her plate. There were tears in her eyes, but she seemed more confused than saddened.

"...Who i-i-is d-doing th-this to m-m-me?" Uka shook his head, biting off another sausage. If he knew, they would be dead within the hour. Whoever it was, they'd better pray to every god in the heavens that he never find them.

"I intend to find out, and when I do, I assure you, child, I will ensure he never hurts you again," Blossom smiled and took the first bite of her waffle. She reached for the butter, but paused and started to reach for the syrup. Uka watched with a small smile as she seemed to have a mental battle with herself. It seemed her sisters had differing opinions on how best to prepare a waffle. Blossom jumped and Uka grunted when the phone suddenly rang. He climbed to his feet, gesturing for Blossom to continue eating. He picked up the phone with an angry glare.

"_This is Uka, what do you want?_"

"Yo, Uka, this is Tony at the front desk. I got some cops here lookin' for ya. Could ya get your ass down here and deal with 'em? I don't like cops in my buildin'," Uka growled and clutched the phone tighter. The handle started to crack in his grip.

"Very well, goodbye," He slammed the received on the cradle, causing Blossom to jump.

"I must go downstairs for a moment. I will lock the door, do not let anyone else inside," Blossom nodded. Uka smiled and gave her a kiss before heading for the door.

"U-Uk-ka-san?" He paused and looked back at her. Blossom blushed and sighed.

"..._I l-l-love y-y...you,"_ He smiled and opened the door.

"_I love you too, my Sakura-chan,"_ He could see her swelling with happiness as he shut the door and locked it tight.

* * *

"Ah, Mr. Uka, it's a pleasure," Uka paused, slipping his hands into his pockets. Four officers, one in a trench coat, a detective no doubt.

"Detective," He responded, his voice cold and distant as always. The detective smirked and held out his hand. Uka simply regarded it with an icy glare.

"Well, no time for pleasantries then. Mr. Uka, we have received information that you may know the whereabouts of Blossom Utonium. Now, no one here is accusing you of kidnap or the like," He added with a chuckle. Uka narrowed his eyes. The officers behind the detective were keeping their hands on their guns. "We just need you to come down to the station for some questioning, alright?"

"_And if I refuse?_" Uka muttered. The detective put his hands in his pockets and leaned forward.

"_Then we'll be forced to arrest you,"_ He responded in perfect Japanese. Uka raised his eyebrow. Blossom was safe, right? He was not well known in Townsville. Whoever was after Blossom, they wouldn't be able to find her. Uka felt his skin heating up. The shadows began to dance with the light.

No, now was not the time to use his power. He would humor this detective.

"Very well, but I cannot stay long," The detective smiled accommodatingly, and led the older gentleman outside.

* * *

The trip was uneventful, but painfully slow. By the time they were alone, Uka feared an hour must have passed. No doubt, Blossom was worried about his safety. He pinched the bridge of his nose, repeating his answer to the detective.

"Yes, I visited Blossom at school on occasion, however, it was by her request," The detective smirked and shook his head. He rose from his chair and began to pace the room once more. Uka found it frustrating and hardened his glare.

"Doesn't that seem odd? A grown man 'hanging out' with a little girl? Why would she ask to see you? She hasn't known you a year yet," Uka nodded. His posture was like a statue. He was only half there, his real focus was on his apartment, on his Sakura-chan.

"I was a friend of her father's. And I was the one who saved her life," the detective nodded, flipping through a small note pad.

"That's right, you were at the Utonium house the morning they were all killed. How did you know to arrive there, Mr. Uka?" He'd answered this question before. They had already questioned him for that event, he thought with a bitter sneer.

"I received a call from Bubbles-chan that morning. On the call, I heard Jimmy-san attacking his family. I ran over as quickly as I could," The detective sat back down, folding his hands and staring harshly at Uka.

"You and Joey never got along, did you?" Uka raised his eyebrow. Now this murder was being pinned on him? Many murders in this city had been at Uka's hand, but that had not been one of them.

"He was an unremarkable man who seemed to think me a murderer. There was no affection lost between us," The detective nodded, unblinking. Uka tapped his finger against his arm. This was taking far too long. Blossom needed him.

The questions continued. Rambling, inane questions that proved nothing but the detective's own incompetence. Uka could feel shadow trying to bend with the light, but kept his darker nature in check. It wasn't until the walls began to bleed that Uka felt his control wavering. Blood streamed down the walls, and red light began to pour around the doorway behind the detective. Uka stood up and stared at it in shock. The door slowly opened, and a lithe figure sauntered through. He tittered and covered his mouth with a bloody-red claw. Through the doorway, within the light, Uka could hear her screaming.

"I do hope you don't mind, Makoko, I'll take care of your precious little whore for you. Oh, I'll take real good care of her," The figure laughed wildly and the tiny voice screamed again. Uka slammed his fists down on the table, splitting it down the middle. The detective jumped back, staring in horror at the door. He couldn't see it, he hadn't seen it. It was a message, just like the one in his home.

"_You..._" Uka's teeth began to grow out, becoming fangs. His eyes became dangerous slits and began to burn, fire rising up from his corneas. The detective was horror-stricken, reaching for his gun. The shadow consumed the light and Uka's form vanished. Apple tore through the door, roaring and batting aside the officers that tried to stop him.

He made a mad dash for the exit, his body transforming the moment he hit the sunlight. People in the streets screamed and pointed, ducking out of sight as the massive black bird nearly blocked out the sun, flying at impossible speeds. The wings collapsed, Apple landed atop a parked car just outside his apartment. He tore apart the door, and charged up the stairs. The minute he reached his door, Uka returned to his normal self.

The door had been torn from its hinges by some powerful force. There were traces of blood on the floor. The television was shattered, his lamps had been thrown across the room. Uka stumbled through the mess, head whipping from side to side. She was gone.

Outside, the sudden appearance of a shapeshifting monster had the people rioting in the streets. The news stations were going haywire as the police department gave a statement about the monster, claiming it to be the Japanese immigrant, Mako Uka.

Fights broke out, the police did their best to keep the public under control, but already lunatics had filled the streets and were proclaiming it a sign of the end of times. Children were crying, men and women alike clung to their spouses for support. The gang wars came out into broad daylight, as the police force began to crumble.

With just one loss of control, one exposure of his true self, Mako Uka had set the world ablaze. But as he stared at his torn, broken bed, reading the bloody letters on the wall, he couldn't have cared less about the world burning down outside.

What use was it to care about the world, when that...man had taken everything that mattered away from him? His entire life, Mako Uka had lived without feeling. He had lived as a lifeless, emotionless shell simply drifting. His parents? He couldn't remember their names, they had been unremarkable. His peers and co-workers? Equally useless information. Even his one friend...was a fading memory now. But she had been different, she had changed everything. She stirred in him things he'd never before experienced. Fear, happiness...and love. He loved her, his Sakura-chan.

But that man had stolen the one thing that mattered most. He had stolen the one person who could make him feel.

There, written in bloody letters on the wall, the enemy revealed himself at long last.

**I am Him**

**End of Act II**


	3. Act III Igniting the Inferno

**Act III: Igniting the Inferno**

Uka dragged his fingers through the blood, smearing it across the wall. His face contorted into a painful expression of unbound fury. He lowered his head and clenched his fists, surveying the bedroom. Her clothes were scattered across the floor, torn and bloody. There were more bloody messages, most of which amounted to little more than "I told you so" and "Ha ha ha". Light began to pour through the open doorway behind him. Slowly turning, he stared into the murky, burning red light as his figure appeared, the source of the ominous, hellish light. He grinned and wagged his finger.

"You should have listened...we could have been something special. You chose this way, Mako," Uka growled and began to advance. The ghostly apparition backed away a step, but continued grinning.

"_Where is she? Where is Sakura-chan?_" He giggled and tapped his chin, stroking his thin beard.

"You are looking for your little whore, aren't you? Well...perhaps you can still save her. She's somewhere in this city, oh how fun! You get to look for her!" He stepped further into the light, becoming a foggy outline.

"Perhaps she's lying in a ditch, bleeding to death? Perhaps she's strapped to a table while some mad scientist sees just how loud she screams when he splits her tiny little nipples open with razor wire? Perhaps she's spread like a rug while some dear friends of mine take turns riding her precious little whore of a body? Who can say, really? But regardless...wherever she is, you only have a few hours to find her, I can promise you that," Uka lunged at him, horns springing from his scalp and fire blazing in his eyes.

"_**Tell me where she is!**_" He giggled and licked his claw. A bloody scorpion claw where his hand used to be. He was changing, revealing his true colors...just as Uka was.

"It's no so simple, Makoko...you see...I want to play a little game..." His voice suddenly became darker, heavier. His eyes began to glow a sickly shade of green, "You've spent your entire life wallowing in apathy. Nonchalant to those closest to you, those who truly cared for your well-being. No matter their pain and suffering, you felt nothing. Now, Mako Uka, if you ever hope to see your precious little whore again..**I want you to feel**."

"Can you feel it? Fear, loathing, helplessness...and above all else, **hate**, burning inside you? Can you overcome these emotions now to save the one you love, the one who loves you? You've hidden from emotions your entire life, can you handle them now when you need to the most? You have three hours Mako, if you ever want to see her...you should start where its boiling and freezing at the same time. The choice is yours Mako...let her live...or let her die," With that, he threw his head back, cackling wildly as flames engulfed the room.

Uka stared at the fire, trembling as waves of emotion overcame him. He knew the answer to the riddle, Nigelo had told him more than once. He narrowed his blazing eyes and walked into the fire. The roof began to collapse, the fire spread faster. Uka maintained his pace, his horns growing longer, curving. Two more horns ripped through the back of his neck, while his hands grew and his fingers sharpened into talons. The floor cracked and collapsed, Uka floated over the hole without missing a beat. His back began to blister, leathery wings shot from his shoulders and grew until they were twice the length of his body. Uka's skin began to turn green, but was quickly wrapped in a slick, leathery black cloak. With a mere thought, the wall around his door exploded and the fire spread outward, now lighting Uka's path, instead of hindering it.

The entire building trembled. The fire was spreading faster, and faster, black smoke rose into the cold Townsville sky. There was a small army of police officers and rioters at the end of the stairs. Uka snarled and walked into the flurry of bullets that rained down on him the moment he stepped into the lobby. The crowd threw rocks; the religious cried exorcism rites. His eyes burned brighter, with a vicious roar, he swung his arm, returning the bullets and rocks that sank into his skin to their owners, striking them dead on sight. A series of screams rang out through the blood bath and the crowd started to back away. With a simple flick of his wrist, a burst of fire erupted from Uka's palm and incinerated the entire entryway to the apartment complex.

He stepped out into the sunlight and looked around, getting his bearings. It was unfathomable, the blazing red haze wrapping around his brain. Every thought was perverted by two conflicting, but conjoined ideas:

** Save Sakura-chan and Kill Tom Nigelo**.

To the horror of those cowering in the streets, Uka's body rose up and morphed, becoming a monstrous black bird. More bullets flew in his direction, but they were like gnats, an annoyance, a waste of time. With a horrible screech, he flew off over the city, tearing through anything in his path. The location, a small abandoned diner, stood out compared to the thriving business just across the street. People scattered as he hit the ground, once more in his new, true form. With a snarl, rays of white lightning erupted from his eyes, destroying anything in his line of sight, and vaporizing anyone it touched. Were it not for his impenetrable rage, he'd have relished their screams of pain and death.

He couldn't speak, only growl and snarl, swatting a terrified gangster out of his way, sending him careening into a telephone pole that promptly snapped and dropped whipping wires onto his unconscious body. With a simple glare the doorway exploded. The crew gathered inside, a small army of twenty or thirty, turned and leveled their weapons with the approaching monster.

"_**Where is she? Where is Sakura-chan?**_" They faltered. Fire was starting to spread from the walls where the explosion hit. Hotter, darker than any mortal flame. Uka's eyes blazed brighter as he made his way toward them. With his first step they opened fire, pegging him with hundreds of bullets, reloading and firing again. He made no indication of stopping, gave no sign that he even felt the bullets sinking into and disappearing in his skin. With a simple twist of his neck, the ground split and they were knocked to the ground.

"_**Nigelo gave her to you, where is she?**_" he roared, grabbing the nearest one by the face and lifting him into the air. As his claws sank into the man's face, blood streamed down his cheeks, dripping to the floor. Uka's hand began to burn, flames began to gather in his palm. Most of them screamed, but none screamed as loud as the man whose face was suddenly incinerated. Uka dropped him unceremoniously and continued to advance.

"W-Wh-What do you w-want, Fucker? W-What is it?" Uka's arm lashed out, becoming a cerated whip that slit another gangster in half. As one tried to flee, his hand shot out and burst through his chest. He threw him to the ground and tried to settle himself. His emotions, that was Nigelo's plan, to control him through his emotions. To make him fail.

"**A little girl named Blossom...where is she?**" The boss looked back and forth at the remaining members of his crew. Three were dead, they still outnumbered him twenty-seven to one. He swallowed. The odds were stacked against them.

"Li-Little ginger? B-Bout s-six?" Uka nodded, clenching his jaw. He was trembling, salivating. They deserved to die, they were all going to die for having anything to do with her kidnapping. "W-We uh...w-we al-already...s-sol...s-sold her..." Uka froze, his eyes narrowing to tiny smoldering embers. Sold her...his teeth gnashed, flames began to blaze in his mouth, smoke poured from the corners of his lips. His form was trembling, struggling to get free. He lowered his head and sniffed the air. He could smell it.

"**Her blood...you...**_**filthy bastard**_**...you took her...**" The boss, the ringleader of a growing sex slave cartel, swallowed and took a step back, dropping his gun. The flames suddenly grew, the building began to shake violently. The ground split and spikes erupted from Uka's shoulders. His wings spread to their full extent, blocking out the light of day. He sniffed the air again. It wasn't just one, no...her blood was on all of them.

"**You all...took her...you assaulted MY Sakura-chan!**" The roof collapsed, sunlight poured in. They were cowering, and rightfully so. They dared ally themselves with that man, but worse, worst of all their crimes: they dared to lay a finger on his precious Sakura-chan? They dared to ruin her, dared to taste her perfection.

"W-We...w-well it's...it's j-just b-business m-man...w-we g-gotta t-test the s...sk...skanks out...e-even the l-little-," He gurgled, holding the black rail driven through his mouth. What control Uka had regained was gone. With a bitter scream, he tore his head off and began to change. His mouth grew out, his horns grew longer. Clawed hands became massive talons and a razor sharp tail grew from his back. Before they could scream, the beast pounced, tearing another apart, while crushing two beneath one of his massive feet. The monster barely fit in the run down diner, but he could move well enough to kill them all.

"_**You insignificant little bastards! You treacherous vermin! Hell have mercy on you, for you will find none with me!**_" His roar alone caused the ground to split open and consume four of the gangsters. They fired every weapon they could get their hands on at him. The monster simply belched a wall of fire in their direction, incinerating them where they stood. His tail lashed out, cleaving another in half and pinning the leader to the wall by his stomach. The beast whipped around and came down on one of the vermin, her leg busted as she tried to escape. His jaws tore apart the floor, leaving behind a bloodied stain.

The dragon advanced on the leader, still pinned to the wall, slowly bleeding to death. He breathed molten breath right in his face and spoke in a voice that made the Earth quake.

"_**Where is she? Who took her?**_" The boss opened and closed his mouth uselessly. The dragon growled and he held his hand out weakly.

"S...some d-du...dude...lives in...apartment...other side...creepy f-f-fat...f-fat gu-guy...B...Ba...Baxter..." Uka roared and unleashed his fiery breath. The diner exploded, and the wall of fire continued on, consuming everything. Building after building collapsed from the sheer force of the blow, but the collapsing buildings only helped to spread the raging inferno. Uka took to the air on black wings that blocked out the sun itself. He roared again and flew at subsonic speeds. He could hear his mocking laughter, could feel his glowing green eyes watching his every movement. This was just a game to him. In the end, he would lose, he would suffer fury the likes of which Hell itself couldn't contain.

Uka landed and knocked the nearest building out of his way. Though he could scarcely think straight, he didn't dare attack in this form. Knowing Nigelo, it was just what he wanted, for Uka himself to kill Blossom. He shrank down to his true form and burst through the doors. The receptionist cowered behind her desk. His hand shot out, grabbing her neck and pinning her against the wall.

"**Baxter,**" he snarled. She was crying hysterically, trying to grab onto the crucifix around her neck. Uka tightened his grip and she squeaked.

"F-Fl...320, third fl-floor oh God, please don't kill me! Please!" He threw her across the room and shot through the ceiling, landing right on the third floor. The people in the apartment he crashed through screamed. He paid them no mind, they were worthless to him. Their door exploded and fire spread, consuming the hallway. It stopped at room 320, consuming the door. He knocked the door away, taking most of the wall with it. He spotted the fat bastard before he even stepped into the room. With the speed of a cobra, he grabbed him by his fat collar, tearing through his flesh with his claws. The bastard was naked, a box of tissues scattered across the ground. Uka couldn't help breathing fire again just seeing his filthy ass...knowing it touched his angel.

"_**Where is Sakura-chan?**_" Lenny whimpered and held onto Uka's arm, kicking his legs. Blood poured down his chest. He began to scream as Uka's body heated up, the flames slowly closing in on the two.

"L-Le-Let go! D-D-Don't kill me! This day already sucks! I had my little...my little lolita taken away!" He began to sob. Uka threw him to the ground and crushed him beneath his foot. His lolita was taken away? But that...that meant...

"**Where is Blossom? You bought her from those disgusting rats! Where is she?**" Lenny moaned and rubbed his neck, sobbing.

"My lolita...gone! After all...all that money! I told him I'd pay him later! I swore I'd pay! But he took her!" Uka snarled and looked around the room. Someone had taken her? His eyes stopped on Lenny's computer screen. They narrowed to dangerous embers. There were...photos and videos of her...of his Blossom. His Sakura-chan. Naked, bleeding...crying. In some she was covered in that man's semen. In others she was screaming as a...a knife was driven into her side, and into her chest. Uka's human features vanished, replaced by those of the beast.

"**What did you do to her?**" Lenny tried to back away, but there was no where to run. The lion clawed through his leg, leaving it a strip of bloody ribbons.

"She was perfect! Well...al-almost perfect! I just wanted to make her better! He took her before...before I could give her real...real tits! Then she'd be-" Lenny screamed again when his stomach was slashed open. The beast pounced on him, snarling and spitting in his face.

"**Where is she now...TELL ME!" **Lenny sobbed again, screaming as Uka's paw took off half his face.

"Why should I tell you? You're going to kill me either way! You should thank me! I almost made her perfect! PERFECT!" Uka roared and attacked, his vision lost in bleary haze. His claws tore through his flesh, his jaws snapped his bones like twigs. Through it all, Lenny screamed, begging that he had only wanted to make her perfect. Claiming that he could have made her beautiful. Uka finally stopped when the floor collapsed and he fell through, kneeling in the bloody mess that had once been Lenny Baxter. Unable to feel, unable to breath, he climbed to his feet and stumbled away.

The fire inside him reignited when he saw his grinning face in the complex doorway. No light, no projection, this was the real Tom Nigelo. Arms crossed, a wicked sneer on his face. Uka started to advance on him but Tom simply giggled and waved his finger.

"Oh no, no, no, Mako! If you kill me now...you'll never know where she is, will you? You never know...I took her away from Lenny almost an hour ago...she might still be alive," Uka clenched his fists and flames started to spread through the lobby. Tom narrowed his glowing green eyes and the flames began to wrap around him. He threw his head back and laughed wildly, consumed in fire.

"Don't you remember, Mako? I told you! We're not so different, you and I!" Uka snarled and stepped forward.

"**Where is she? Where is Blossom?**" Tom grinned through the flames. His form was changing, growing, becoming more horrible.

"Stay and listen to my story, Mako, and perhaps you'll find her," Uka snarled and began to transform, but with all his strength, he managed to stay put. Tom giggled and became consumed in red light.

"And I beheld Satan as he fell from the heavens like lightning! Surely you've heard this, haven't you, Mako? Oh but what became of the great Satan when he fell? Why...it would appear angels don't splatter...the split, Mako. Do you see what I'm saying? Do you understand the story? When he fell...one became two, and two, well, they didn't get along at all, now did they?" Uka clenched his fists. His eyes burned, his blood boiled, but he knew, without any proof, that Tom was telling the truth. Somehow, it was the ultimate postulate. He, Mako Uka, was a piece of the fallen Satan. Half to be exact.

"Buried in the blood of man, we tried to rise again, but couldn't, could we? We couldn't because...something kept us away. Lost in the lineage of Cain, we battled to rise up, until at long last, here we are," The red light dimmed, revealing the true form of Tom Nigelo.

"**The Black Emperor of Hatred...**" Uka muttered, at long last saying his true name. Hatred. The source of all his power, the source of all his strife, the very core of his being was an all-consuming hatred.

"And the Red Emperor of Cruelty!" Tom Nigelo stood before him clothed in red. His skin had become red as blood, his hands were now razor sharp scorpion claws. Horns grew from his head, smaller, but sharper than Uka's own. His ears were pointed, his hair wild. His eyes glowed green, while a sleek, red dress wrapped around his thin body. His tail, a wicked, reptilian appendage with a spaded tip, lashed back and forth. He clapped his hooves on the ground, walking on goat's legs, circling Uka with a wicked sneer.

"Do you see now? Why I tried so very, very hard to reach you...you complete me, Mako, you are my other half. Together...it is our duty to turn this miserable place...into a new Hell," He whispered tenderly in Uka's ear. Uka slashed at him, only to miss as Tom reappeared in the doorway. He sneered and began to glow.

"**Enough of your games, Nigelo!**" Uka roared, transforming into the feral Apple. Tom was consumed in light and became a large, lanky hyena, with long pointed ears and dark red fur, tinted with purple.

"So you refuse my offer? Fine then, Mako! You've made your decision, now live with it!" And with that, Tom took off, Uka hot on his heels.

* * *

The already panicked streets erupted with newfound horror as the two beasts exploded onto the scene. Tom leaped onto nearby cars, racing from rooftop to rooftop, while Uka shot after him, leaping from one building side to the the next, snarling and slashing through anything that impeded his progress. They raced by a news van, trying their best to cover the carnage without having their equipment stolen. The twin beasts shot through a hot dog stand, and plowed through a school bus. With every roar, Uka shook the streets. With every giggle, Tom released a wave of fireballs that did little to no damage to their target.

"You can't catch me! What good will it do? You'll never find her! Never! She's probably already dead by now! And guess who killed her? No, it wasn't the fat man's filthy little cock, it was you, Mako! You killed Blossom Utonium!" Tom cackled with glee, bursting into a flock of hummingbirds when white lightning from Uka's eyes nearly destroyed the fourth street intersection. Uka snarled and shot skyward, transforming into a massive black bird.

"Ah! Hahaha! Look at you! Learning your powers so quickly! Can you even keep up, you flaming eyed Jackass!" The hummingbirds shot into a single point and became a zebra that raced across the rooftops. Uka swooped down at him, screeching. His talons tore through concrete and solid steel. The rays of white lightning from his eyes leveled a water tower. But every blow fell short, as the pink and red zebra raced on, leaping across buildings until crashing through the window of a homeless shelter. Uka swooped in, transforming into a devilish silver back gorilla.

"Demons! Demons! I told ya I saw 'em and here they are! How ya doin' demons?" A poor homeless man ran toward Uka with tears of joy rolling down his cheeks. Uka growled and backhanded him across the room. Tom came to a halt near the doorway, grinning from ear to ear. He slowly took the form of a lanky, giant hyena once more.

"So this is it, is it? The final showdown? The grand finale? Mano-e-Mano, demon versus demon! Is that how it is Mako?" He howled, dodging a thrown table. Snickering, he strolled around the perimeter of the room, his green eyes glowing. He paused just long enough to take a fatal bite out of the thrown homeless man, crushing his skull in his jaws. Uka roared and beat his fists against the ground, splitting the floor open.

"**You will not escape! Fight me and die, Nigelo!**" Uka demanded. Tom giggled again, digging his claws into the ground. His tail whipped back and forth wildly.

"Oh you...you big, stupid animal. You may be bigger...maybe even stronger. But don't you ever forget, Mako..." Tom's body burst into red light as he charged, nearly knocking Uka over with his initial body slam. Uka managed to bat him away, but Tom came back cackling, "I can be a REAL BITCH!" The floor erupted into flames when the two collided again. Uka smacked Tom's attempted bite aside and brought his fist down. Tom jumped out of the way, resulting in a small scale earthquake that caused the ceiling to crack and begin to topple. Uka roared and charged at him, throwing punches with more and more force. Each one missed; Tom laughed louder and louder, and the building continued to crumble.

"Are you blind? Did the juice from her DELICIOUS little taint put your eye out? I know looking at her HIDEOUS FACE hurt mine!" Tom crashed through the window, yelping and racing away as Uka charged at him in his lion form once more. He had grown to nearly thirteen feet tall and easily knocked vehicles aside. Every roar belched a ball of fire toward Tom, obliterating the crumbling cityscape. Tom giggled and ducked into an alleyway. Uka followed, taking out the supports of the building itself. He looked up to see Tom standing on top of the building laughing, spittle flying from his crushing jaws.

"Oh Mako! You droll little man! How could you be my equal? You're a pathetic excuse for a villain! You bleeding heart little fuck! You won't save her! No one can!" He laughed again, dodging the massive black bird and ducking into the building. Uka followed, crashing through the skylight.

He landed in a pitch black room that felt eerily familiar. Through a hate induced fog, he could barely think, but something made him contain his rage. The red hyena crept out of the shadows, becoming Tom Nigelo once more. Uka snarled and returned to his true form as well. Before he could take a step closer, Tom snapped his claw and the place came alive. Strobe lights of pink, green, and blue flashed obnoxiously while Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" blasted from the speakers.

"Now that we're alone, Mako...we have a few things to discuss...you see, Blossom and I, we had a little chat. I told her...everything! Who you are, who I am, what we're here for," Tom leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper, "And who killed her family..."

Uka clenched his fists, fixing the red demon with the vilest glare he could muster. All of the hate in his soul, the hate that was his soul, poured out and into that treacherous man. And it did nothing to faze him. Tom just giggled.

"You know what this means, don't you? Our awakening...yes...I tried to reach you, Mako, I tried so hard. If we awaken, as we have...it means the end of all things. You know that, don't you?" Uka nodded, his body trembling.

"**It is our purpose to end this failure of a world...to return it to chaos and destruction. To build a new...Hell on Earth,**" Tom nodded, practically salivating at the idea. Uka couldn't lie, despite the hazy fury clogging his brain. The thought was intoxicating. The hole inside him that forced him out of his job, his home, and his homeland, seemed to fill just thinking about that. The possibility of a new Hell. His Hell.

"That's right! Oh but...only one of us can rule, can't we, Mako? At least...that's how it is written. But, it doesn't have to be so! Why, if you'll just...serve me, I'll take care of everything. No one needs to die," Tom whispered, looking Uka up and down. Uka spat, advancing on him.

"**I have no need for you, Tom Nigelo. Nor would I ever debase myself to serving you,**" That finally cut him. Tom snarled and snapped his claws. Red light whipped up around him and his green eyes burst into small suns. Yet, his fury seemed trivial compared to the black demon's.

"Who are you to act so sacred, Mako? This...all of this...it's your fault," Tom's grin quickly returned. He tittered and sauntered around Uka. "Yes...that's right, you caused this didn't you? Why...if I recall, what was it that made James Utonium kill his precious family? I remember his face was...purple, wasn't it? Bursting veins on his forehead? What could have filled him with such anger? Such aggression? Such...hate?" Uka lowered his head, a low growl building in his chest. His human side was failing, his demonic urges were rising.

"**Jimmy was an unfortunate victim of circumstance...**"

"How nice! And I suppose, she is too?" Tom waved his claw and snapped it again. A blood red spotlight came on, revealing the stage. Uka now recognized that he was in that atrocious bar that Tom insisted they visit. The scantily dressed boys were gone from the stage though...now, tied to the pole in ribbons of razor wire, was his Sakura-chan.

"_**...S-Sakura-chan...**_" he whispered, taking a step toward her. He barely recognized her. Her beautiful red hair was strewn with blood and dirt, torn from her head in several bloody places. Her face was beaten, her left eye was blackened and swollen shut, and her lips were split and bloodied. She had still bleeding cuts covering her body, from her ankles, wrapped tightly in razor wire. Her wrists were tied high over her head, stretching out the deep, jagged cuts across her chest. Disgusting yellow and black bruises covered her body; her once tender little slit had been brutalized. Completing the travesty, a piece of barbed wire was wrapped around her neck, nearly strangling her. She was barely breathing; only his near god-like senses allowed him to hear her desperate gasps.

"Do you like what I've done with the little slut? Now, isn't she just precious? This is what you get when you play with grown ups!" Tom sang, giggling and waving his claw chidingly.

"_**You...I'll kill you...**_" Tom giggled again. Uka turned on him, his eyes like miniature suns in their sockets. Tom's own eyes began to glow, but...it paled in comparison. Tom took a nervous step backward when Uka began to advance on him. The red demon growled and narrowed his eyes.

"Now be reasonable Uka...what do you have to gain by killing me, hm? Why do you continue to fight me? I could use you! I could rule the entire world if you'd join me! Oh, rest assured, I intend to rule it either way, but together..." Tom yelped and dodged a lightning fast strike. Uka growled and took another step toward him, the building was trembling. Uka was on fire.

"_**I don't want the world, Nigelo...I just want to see you burn, I want to watch you die!**_" He roared and charged again. This time, Tom was ready. He quickly transformed into a bull and knocked Uka back. As the black demon came up as a wall of shadows, wings growing to fill the building, talons growing until they were bigger than the stage, Tom began to glow a sick shade of green. His hands became claws again, but the claws began to grow. His tail whipped up over his head, the spade sharpening into a stinger. His legs became feline, a pink mane outlining his feral face. Soon, the towering black dragon was staring into the eyes of a wicked manticore.

"Watch ME die, Mako? No, no, no, my friend! I don't die! I just get angry! I just get mean! I just get NASTY!" Uka roared and took a swing for Tom, but the manticore rolled out of the way and lashed out with his stinger. Uka snarled and knocked it away with his wing, fast advancing with flames in his breath. Tom growled and flew into the air. Uka had never noticed before just how high the ceiling was, but he didn't care to ponder it now. Instead, he launched a fireball at Tom, just in time as the manticore fired his own. The two collided and set the bar ablaze.

Tom shot through the smoke, slashing Uka across the face. The dragon roared and shot another fireball, but Tom was too quick, and dodged easily. Smoke began to fill the air. Uka narrowed his eyes as a pair of glowing green lights flew his way. He howled and stumbled backward, shaking his head. Another pair of death rays fired from the darkness, but they could do little more than drive him backward. Uka narrowed his eyes and unleashed his white lightning blast, consuming the death rays and blasting their owner out of hiding.

Uka advanced on the fallen manticore, who was crawling to his feet, snarling. He growled, each step shaking the bar. Tom raised his head and stared into the dragon's fiery maw. He grinned awkwardly and took a step backward. Flames rose up from the corners of Uka's mouth.

"_**There is no where to run, Nigelo...**_" Tom giggled and jumped into the air, swinging his tail and raining a storm of needles on Uka. He grunted, stumbling backward under the constant assault, but they weren't good for much other than annoying him. Uka arched his back and breathed a wave of fire that, again, knocked Tom to the ground. He sat up, grinning, blood running down his lips. He wiped it away and chuckled, leering at Uka.

"Oh Mako...you silly, silly thing! D-Do be more c-careful...you'd hate to hurt your precious...precious little WHORE wouldn't you?" Uka froze, panting and frothing with anger. He looked around, watching how the flames consumed more and more of the bar. They arced in an awkward pattern, slowly spiraling towards the stage. Tom snickered, suddenly in his true form once more. Uka turned back to him, his dragon form melting away.

"So what's it going to be...Mako? Will you chase after the bad guy or will you save the girl? Hm...but...if you save the girl's life...are you really saving her? Hm? You and I both know what's to come of this...what you would be...returning her to," Tom giggled and played with his goatee, floating slowly toward the doorway. Uka turned to look at Blossom. The only way to truly save her, to spare her the coming apocalypse...was to let her go. Tom cackled and clapped his claws, his eyes gleaming.

"Oh how lovely! You understand, don't you? Come Uka...let's continue this outside," Tom began to change, but froze when Uka slowly shook his head and began walking toward Blossom. He hissed, glaring at the two. "Will you really make her suffer, Uka? Will you really steal true happiness from her? Will you deny her the...the salvation of HEAVEN!" Uka lowered his head, staring at Blossom's broken body. With a flick of his wrist, he snapped the binds on her arms. Slowly lifting her head, he snapped the wire around her neck and gently began to free her. Tom howled and burst into red light. The fire began to spread, the smoke filled the air. Soon, the sun itself was blocked out.

Tom Nigelo was gone...Mako Uka was left behind with his Sakura-chan, left behind to watch the life slowly fade from her beautiful, innocent face. The right thing to do...the selfless thing to do, would be to spare her. He lowered his head and cradled her against his body. Uka's eyes snapped open. He whipped around, growling as a mane began to grow from his neck. The young man squealed and fell back, holding out his hands in defense.

"W-wait! St-Stop! I w-want t-to help! Pl-please...is sh-she...is she okay?" Uka's eyes began to burn. He recognized the small, womanish man. If not for his figure, for his bright pink and green hair. Uka swallowed hard and turned back to Blossom. His hatred was taking him over again. She didn't have much time...he needed an answer.

"**She will be gone within the hour...at best,**" Uka whispered. The bartender covered his mouth, crawling closer. Uka glared at him. He was covered in soot, and there was a bloody gash in his leg. The debris must have caught him. He narrowed his eyes and began to growl. What was this stupid fairy doing here? And why didn't he help Blossom?

"I'm s-so sorry...I tried...God, he's never done anything like this before...I never thought..." Uka lashed out, grabbing the bartender by his throat.

"**You are working with Nigelo?**" The man waved his hands, tears sparkling in his eyes.

"Not a-anymore! W-we're done...after this, after this I'll n-never help him again! I mean..." He froze, staring into Uka's fiery eyes. They weren't the same dead, lifeless eyes he was used to. These, these eyes were ready to kill him. He shivered and tried to catch his breath.

"**What do you mean? **_**Answer me!**_" The young man shuddered, sobbing. He gripped Uka's wrist, but couldn't budge in the least.

"Tom...Tom and I dated in high school and uh...off and on...w-we...h-he...he was a-always...he always wanted to pl-play the-these tricks on p-people...no, they weren't tricks...God why did I do this?" Uka tightened his grasp, getting the young man back on track. "I'm sorry! I helped him...every now and then, I tried to help him with you, but you were too strong!"

"_**Quit babbling! **_**Answer me! What did you do? How did you help him?**" Blossom's breathing was getting softer, it was fading away. Within the hour was a desperate optimism. She had less than ten minutes at this rate. The young man stared at Blossom, and began to cry.

"My dad was a pharmacist...I got...pills...so he could...take guys home," Uka growled. So, Tom brought his dates to the bar, and this man drugged them. No less a rapist than Tom himself. Uka tightened his grip, he could feel the man's blood pulsing beneath his skin.

"**You disgust me...miserable thief! Stealing lives...and now, **_**you've stolen the good one,**__" _His rage tempered off. Her heart was skipping. She was almost gone. The blood streaking her face...even it couldn't make her eyelids flutter. He tightened his hold on her; tightening his grip on Tom's downtrodden partner.

"I didn't know he was going to do this to some little girl! I didn't know! I'd never have helped him! I swear to God! I'd do anything to save her! I swear to God!" In an instant, he was dangling in the air. Uka rose up to his full eight feet, his eyes burning so bright, they began to burn the man's skin. His voice was like thunder, sending a jolt through the young man's body.

"**Swear to me! Give your soul to save hers and swear your life to me! Or I'll let you rot here forever! You'll suffer a fate worse than any Hell!**" He screamed, digging his fingers into Uka's wrist. He tried to speak, but couldn't breath. He tried to kick, but his feet dangled far off the ground. His face turned purple and his eyes turned bloodshot. This was the only way to save her. A life for a life. It would be selfless to let her go, it would be his last heroic act, before succumbing to his role.

"I swear! I'll do anything! I'm sorry! Please!" He was no hero...no saint. Without hesitation, Uka gave into the ultimate evil. Blackness swirled around him, and began to consume the young man. He screamed as it sank into his skin, into his pores, his eyes, the roots of his hair. The dye drained from his hair, revealing its silky black color. Then, just as quickly, it began to choke. The tips of his hair choked until they turned blue. The color flooded from his face, and black armor consumed his body. Uka dropped him to the ground, holding a glistening gas in his hand. Without hesitation, he ate it and pressed his lips against Blossom's.

The same blackness that now consumed the bartender, Darien Rose, now flooded Blossom. It kissed her wounds, closing them. It tenderly touched her beaten skin and healed it. Wherever she had suffered, it made her new again. And deep within her, it used up the last of the power in Darien's soul...to flood her with life once more. On the ground, Darien began to stir as his new, immortal, life began.

"W-What...happened to me? What is this?" He stared at his now black hands, and touched his pale white face. Without turning away from Blossom, Uka whispered.

"**You have stolen lives for Tom, now you will steal them for me. You will serve me, from now until the end of time, and then in the hereafter. Just as I have taken your soul to give her life, you will take the souls of others to give your life essence," **Darien responded...but Uka had long since forgotten he was even there. He rose to his feet, cradling his precious Blossom to his breast. He kissed her again, and again. Muttering promises, begging forgiveness. It would have been selfless to let her go. It would have been the right thing to do. But he was not selfless. He was no hero...not at hero in the least.

"**I'm sorry, Blossom...I should have spared you. But...I cannot continue life without you. Now...now we will never be apart. I will never let you go. I...**_**I love you**_**. Far too much to ever...give you away,**" She quivered, clenching her eyes shut. Uka softly traced her markings. Black, jagged tattoos that looked more like scars than anything else, trailing from her eyes like tears. They'd never go away, they'd forever...label her as his. They would brand her, a prisoner of Mako Uka, forever.

"**I'm sorry, my Blossom,**" She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. She reached out and touched his face. Smiling, she kissed him with the little strength she had.

"I hate it when you call me Blossom...don't ever call me that again...I'm your...Sakura-chan," Uka's eyes stung. His black heart hurt to its very core. The end of days had begun. The world would never again see the light of day, would never again know peace, happiness, or love. Hell had broken free in Townsville, USA. And soon, it would spread to the rest of the world. But for now...with his new servant by his side, he held her in his arms. Even as the whole world went to Hell...

"_**...I love you, my Sakura-chan**_,"

They held onto the rapture that the world would never find.

**The End**


End file.
